Christmas Day, Mass at Dawn. Merry Christmas and welcome back to the Sunday Mass notes. This week in this brief edition, we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It’s been an interesting couple of weeks for me as I write this in December, 2016. Although I have been very busy at work due to a colleague on leave to help his wife with their new son (praise God), my heart has been moved by the loss of two friends in recent days. The first, a dear saint of the Lord was taken after a brief illness brought about as the result of an auto accident. I am thankful that his suffering only lasted a few weeks and am very grateful for his Christian testimony that he left behind. I went to school with David from kindergarten to 12’th grade. Although his funeral was held on the other side of the country, through the wonders of technology, I was able to watch it live online. The second one was a former coworker who fought a decade long battle with breast cancer. The passing away of friends is always hard, but when it happens at Christmas it’s worse. All that we can do is to look forward to Jesus’ eventual return to destroy death forever. This is how we can look at today’s readings. We seek to understand their challenges and learn how they too looked forward to the eternal reign of the perfect Messiah on a perfect earth with people made perfect by God.

Introduction to the First Reading:

The context of the first reading from Isaiah is a continuation of God’s promised blessings that were to come upon the land. Isaiah’s words looked far into the future to a point during which “The sun shall be nor more your light by day” (Isaiah 60:19a). We see this same era described by John in the closing section of the Book of Revelation. “And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21:23). Isaiah transcribed events given to him by God such as to collapse near and far terms events together, and spoke of events that have both a near term and distant fulfillment, such as the prophecy of the birth of the child in Isaiah 7:14. There we see the birth of a son to Isaiah as a sign to King Ahaz, as well as the prophecy of the birth of The Son Jesus to the Virgin Mary. The opening verses of this chapter continue the explanation of how the Hebrew nation, exemplified in His holy city Jerusalem, will be a light to all of the nations, not just to those in our current age who believe.

First Reading:

Isaiah 62:11-12 NAS95 11 Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth, Say to the daughter of Zion, “Lo, your salvation comes; Behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.” 12 And they will call them, “The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD”; And you will be called, “Sought out, a city not forsaken.”

Isaiah proclaimed God’s message about how God would bring salvation to the ends of the earth through a Person, with God’s people and holy city as a beacon displaying His holiness and beauty. Verse 11 is the case were with the benefit of hindsight we see a dual fulfillment, First, we see salvation as coming in the form of a Person, “Behold His reward is with Him,” prefiguring the beginning of the Lord Jesus’ ministry. Second, we see the promise of the completion of the Messiah’s ministry that Scripture says will happen at His second coming when He will establish His kingdom reign on earth. The proclamation in this verse is directed towards God, something that we also see in a similar way in Cyrus’ proclamation to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (see 2 Chronicles 36:22-23). The Lord has proclaimed to the ends of the earth that His Righteous One will come and bring His rewards to all who believe with Him. In Isaiah’s day, the temple in Jerusalem was the beacon of God’s holiness to His chosen people the Jews. One day, Jerusalem, the holy city and beacon of God’s chosen people, will no longer be called “forsaken,” but “sought out” (v. 12).

What does Isaiah’s message directed to the Hebrew Nation back in the eighth century BC mean to us today? Although we too may feel forsaken as we endure pain, suffering and death, we too can focus upon and believe that God will one day fix everything! Although we may struggle today, we are promised by God with a proclamation that reaches until the ends of the earth that our future restoration is coming. God proclaims a message to everyone so that they will believe, and “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Second, as Christians we too are called to be beacons of God’s good news like the Jews. We too are the “sought out” (v. 12) ones, a people who God went selected to believe through the free gift of faith in His one and only Son Jesus. Although in our era we cannot relate to how God’s holiness was manifested in the temple in Jerusalem, we have to remember that when Isaiah wrote this although the temple was standing its destruction and ruin was in the near future. God spoke through Isaiah as if the eternal temple of God was already manifested to His people. God calls us in a similar way to remember that although the “temples” of our bodies will be destroyed, God’s holiness will be displayed through our future restoration to a kingdom in which there will be no pain. There we will be God’s eternal beacons of His holiness forever.

Introduction to the Second Reading:

The context of the reading from Titus is Paul’s teaching on the characteristics of godly leaders in the church. In verses 1 – 2 of this chapter Paul gave a list of things that leaders were to do, followed by a reminder of the evil ways in which they used to live before they found faith in the Lord Jesus.

Second Reading:

Titus 3:4-7 NAS95 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Today’s reading opens with the phrase, “But when,” which provides a linkage back to the list of ungodly characteristics which God had delivered them from as the result of His indwelling Holy Spirit after they had believed. Paul went on to explain in today’s reading how God saves people not because of their good works, “but according to His mercy” (v. 4c). He delivers us from our former sinful state through “the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” Who was manifested to us through the person of Jesus Christ (v. 6) so that “being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (v. 7).

The “But when” phrase in the opening harkens back to what Paul wrote in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” But for God all of us would be dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). As Paul did in Ephesians, he explained in today’s reading how good works do not earn a person merit with God that counts towards their earning their way into heaven. Rather, salvation is a free gift of God for everyone who believes. Good works flow out of a heart changed by God as evidence of the Holy Spirit’s transformation ministry.

This reading along with many others reveals the nature of salvation as a free gift, not something that we can earn, no matter how hard we try. “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Our justly deserved payment for our sins is death, “for the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, emphasis added). Saint Paul also said, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 ). How appropriate it is to understand during this Christmas season if we are fortunate enough to open presents that salvation is the greatest gift of all that comes only through our faith in the risen Lord Jesus! May we recognize this grandest of all gifts and share this gift with others by telling them about Jesus’ plan for their lives.

Introduction to the Gospel Reading:

The Gospel reading is from Luke and records the details just after Mary and Joseph’s arrival in Bethlehem. The “Angel of the Lord” had just appeared to a group of frightened shepherds in the field and brought a message to them. “But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:10-12). Next, “suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased’” (Luke 2:13-14).

Gospel Reading:

Luke 2:15-20 NAS95 15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

The shepherds were so deeply moved by their experience with the angels that they went immediately to Bethlehem, the City of David, as told by the angel. Here they found the baby Jesus lying in a manger just as the angel said it would be. How fitting it was for Jesus to be born here, “the Lamb slain since before the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8), since this is where all of the sacrificial lambs had to be born. In the closing verses, Dr. Luke records how Mary quietly “treasured all [of] these things” (v. 19a), while the shepherds went off publically proclaiming the miracle and praising God. This differing response reflects Mary’s self-reflective nature, although many commentators have made much discussion concerning it. Regardless, the shepherds began the proclamation of the good news of Jesus’ birth in a way that glorified God (v. 20). We can only wonder about the joy that Mary and Joseph must have felt in their hearts!

Perhaps the shepherds weren’t the most unlikely group to whom the angel would reveal the prophecy about the birth of the Lord Jesus in nearby Bethlehem. Although they were a group of people who were considered some of the lowest in the society, Jesus identified Himself as the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). Therefore, what better way for God to reveal His plan to the world than through a group of shepherds near Bethlehem?

We too come like lowly shepherds seeking the Lord Jesus Christ. As we saw in today’s readings, Jesus is the free gift about Whom the prophets and shepherds proclaimed to the ends of the earth. Let’s pray that today that no matter what comes upon us this Christmas season that we maintain our focus upon this greatest gift that was ever given, the Lord Jesus Christ who died to take away our sins. Merry Christmas.

Reflection Questions

1. In what ways do you feel that you are trying to earn your way to heaven? How does the second reading help you to understand God’s truth about the way one comes to possess eternal life with God?

2. If Jesus was to be born in our present day, who would be the group of “shepherds” in our society? How does understanding the revelation of Jesus through this lowest social class in the ancient society help us to relate to how Jesus reveals Himself to us today?

This week as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ like last week we will be studying some important prophetic voices from the Old Testament. We will also be reading from the Gospel of Saint Matthew to hear how he confirmed that the coming birth of Jesus would fulfil these predictions made centuries earlier.

Introduction to the First Reading:

Before we turn to the first reading from Chapter 7 in Isaiah it’s important for us to explain the personality of King Ahaz, the King of the Southern Tribe of Judah, about whom Isaiah will be speaking. Ahaz was son of King Jotham, the latter whom was a godly ruler of Judah. King Ahaz came into power when he was 20 years of age and he went bad immediately at the beginning of his reign.   Second Chronicles provides an important insight into the personality of the King. “But he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel; he also made molten images for the Baals” (2 Chronicles 28:2). Not only was Ahaz an idolater who caused the circulation of idols to the god Baal, but he even burned his own children as sacrifices to false gods. The Scripture said, “But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and even made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had driven out from before the sons of Israel” (2 Kings 16:3). He went from bad to worse after the attack of the King of Assyria who had already overtaken the Northern Tribes.

20 So Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him. 21 Although Ahaz took a portion out of the house of the LORD and out of the palace of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him. 22 Now in the time of his distress this same King Ahaz became yet more unfaithful to the LORD. 23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they became the downfall of him and all Israel. (2 Chronicles 28:20-23)

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Ahaz then went on to block the entrance to the temple in order to prevent the true worship of God (2 Chronicles 28:25). King Ahaz started out bad and continued in his ungodly rule until the very end of his life without ever having a change of heart and repenting of his sin. It’s with this understanding of the king that we turn to the text of the first reading from Isaiah.

First Reading:

10 Then the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 “Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!” 13 Then he said, “Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well? 14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:10-14

The Lord gave King Ahaz the opportunity to trust in Him by asking for a sign. Instead of asking for a sign, King Ahaz spoke out of the pride and self-reliance of his heart, which displeased the Lord. God had given him an invitation and he refused to accept it. This “tried” the patience of the Lord because he persisted in his independence and refused to trust in God’s provision of a sign to assure him. God used this event of obstinate disobedience to foretell of Messiah. This prophecy was ultimately fulfilled through the birth of Jesus by the Virgin Mary.

Introduction to the Gospel Reading:

Because the Gospel reading relates to the prophecy of Isaiah from the first reading we will consider that passage next. This reading is from the first chapter of the Gospel of Saint Matthew.

Gospel Reading:

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. 19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her, desired to put her away secretly. 20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 “And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.” 22 Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, 23 “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD, AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.” 24 And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took her as his wife, 25 and kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25)

While many of us are already familiar with the narrative concerning the birth of Jesus, this passage highlights important truths for our lives. First, Saint Matthew brought out the fact that Jesus was born not through natural human relations but through the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit. This is important because since God is without sin this was the only means by which the sinless God-Man could come into the world. Second, since the virgin birth was a fulfillment of biblical prophecy we can trust other prophecies that speak to areas of our life and ministry. This includes things like how the second coming of the Lord will play out, how the world will be eventually unified under Jesus’ earthly reign. Third, Jesus was sent to save His people from their sins. This is God’s special invitation to counteract the destructive nature of sin in order to stand before a Holy God and not be rejected at the judgment. This is not only “a” plan for salvation, it is “the” plan. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Matthew’s Gospel also brings out an important prophetic fulfillment regarding the title of Jesus as Immanuel. This title means “God with us” which is an important relationship aspect of the Messiah’s advent. The Messiah reveals the heart of God as One who lives among us. The implications of Jesus being called Immanuel are twofold. First, Jesus came so that we might come to the Father through Him. Second Jesus moved into the neighborhood to stay in order to show us God’s love so that we might live eternally with Him. Christianity is the only belief system that purports that God became a man and died for our sins. That is the powerful implication of Immanuel, God with us.

Introduction to the Second Reading:

In the second reading from Romans, Saint Paul also confirmed the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies regarding Jesus. While these are introductory remarks and salutations, there are many meaningful truths contained here.

Second Reading:

1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, 4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles, for His name’s sake, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; 7 to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:1-7)

It would be easy to read this passage casually and gloss over the deep insights, but Paul confirmed the following truths about Jesus and His people.

1. Jesus birth and ministry was predicted by Old Testament Scriptures (v.2).
2. Jesus would be born in the line of King David as to his earthly genealogy (v.3).
3. He would be the Son of God and as God would have the power to be resurrected from the dead (v.4a), and be filled with the Holy Spirit (v.4a).
4. He would be perfectly holy (v.4b).
5. He would be the Lord of the Church.
6. All grace would flow through Jesus (v.5)
7. Jesus would establish the apostles of the church, including Paul (v.5).
8. His Church would bring about obedience and faith (v.5).
9. Paul’s ministry would extend to the Gentiles (v.5).
10. All believers would be called “saints” and, like the apostles, called out to ministry (v.7).

Saint Paul knew Jesus in a multi-faceted way, which should be a model for us as followers of Him today. Most importantly, we need to recognize Jesus as the Son of God who was raised from the dead and lived a holy life through the power of the Holy Spirit so that we can receive His grace. Receiving His grace means that I am now in good favor with the Father and I am declared righteous.

Reflection Questions

1. Review the list above from the second reading in Romans 1 about Jesus. Choose one point and think about how this truth affects your life.

2. What difference does it make to you to know that Jesus is Immanuel, “God with us”?

Welcome back to the Sunday Mass notes for 12-20-2015. This week we open with the first reading from the Prophet Micah where we learn about a prediction God gave concerning the Messiah. Then we learn about Jesus’ high priestly ministry in the second reading from the Book of Hebrews. We close this week’s study with the Gospel reading from Luke in which Mary visits Elizabeth. 

Introduction to the First Reading:

As a Christian, it’s important to be patient and wait upon God, even when we see great injustices going on around us. Impatience was one of the issues that got into the way of the Jews properly interpreting the passages concerning the coming Messiah. One may think that if the First Century Jews had a good grasp on the Scriptures so many of them wouldn’t have missed the First Coming of Jesus. The Jews had endured centuries of persecution from the various world powers including the Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, and finally the Romans. From all appearances the Prophet Micah made it very clear what would happen, even if this forerunner didn’t explain the exact timing of the events.

Today’s reading opens with a summary of the former sieges possibly under the direction of either King Sennacherib (of the Syrian Empire) or Nebuchadnezzar (of Babylon), then provides an astounding prophecy about the coming ruler Jesus. Micah wrote during the reign of Kings Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah (Micah 1:1), some eight centuries before the birth of Jesus.

First Reading:

Micah 5:1-4 NAS95 1 “Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops; They have laid siege against us; With a rod they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek. 2 “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” 3 Therefore He will give them up until the time When she who is in labor has borne a child. Then the remainder of His brethren Will return to the sons of Israel. 4 And He will arise and shepherd His flock In the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they will remain, Because at that time He will be great To the ends of the earth.

Micah said that their enemies would so disparage them that even their own king would be humiliated, or “With a rod they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek” (v. 1c). Throughout their history Israel has frequently been the subject of attacks and invasions, and in this case Micah was likely referring either to an attack by the Assyrians or the Babylonians. While this prophecy came true in Micah’s day they also pointed to the Messiah. Jesus was struck in the face in the time leading up to His crucifixion (John 18:22, Matthew 26:67). From there the prophet moved on to reveal more about the coming Messiah we now know as Jesus. He said, “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity” (v. 2).  Micah named the exact town in which the Messiah would be born. Though there were two towns named Bethlehem in Israel, he differentiated between the one in the north and the one near Jerusalem in which the new King would be born. One would assume that a powerful leader would come from the capital city, Jerusalem. However, Micah’s prophecy revealed that this would not be case, instead the ruler would come from the tiny insignificant town of Bethlehem. (We sing the song, “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” as a reminder of God’s unusual way of exalting the lowliest of cities for His purposes). From this insignificant city God would bring forth a ruler who usher in spiritual deliverance from the ultimate enemy Satan. Micah brought forth the idea that the Messiah was from eternity (v. 2). This corresponds to what the Prophet Daniel said about the Messiah being the “Ancient of Days” (Daniel 7:22). He is not a created being, rather He existed in eternity past as part of the Godhead (John 1:1-2). It is difficult to understand what the prophet meant when he said, “He will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has borne a child” (v. 3). It is safe to say that the Israelites were subject to a 400-year period of prophetic silence where they might have felt abandoned by God and wondered if He would ever bring forth the promised Messiah. The prophet goes on to foretell the in-grafting of the Gentiles into the family of God by saying, “Then the remainder of His brethren Will return to the sons of Israel” (v. 3, see Romans 11:17). Like the other prophets, Micah also telescoped near and far term events today when he saw the kingdom of Jesus. During Jesus’ First Advent, He came as a shepherd leader where He declared Himself to be the Good Shepherd (verse 4, John 10:11). His true leadership is yet to be realized after He returns at the end of the age “Because at that time He will be great To the ends of the earth” (v. 4).

It’s amazing when you compare Micah’s prophecy to the life of Jesus and recognize the precision of the fulfillment by Jesus. As we move towards Christmas may we be reminded of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and His coming rulership over all the earth when He comes again so that our lives reflect this reality.

Introduction to the Second Reading:

Jesus fulfilled other prophecies besides what we just read in Micah. Our New Testament reading in Hebrews points out another important way that Jesus completed the requirements of the Old Testament sacrificial system. Through His perfect sacrifice, Jesus ushered in a new era of relating to God the Father. This passage helps us to see why it is necessary for us to place our faith in Jesus Who perfectly executed the will of the Father on our behalf.

Second Reading:

Hebrews 10:5-10 NAS95 5 Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, “SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME; 6 IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE. 7 “THEN I SAID, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.’” 8 After saying above, “SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them” (which are offered according to the Law), 9 then He said, “BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The author of Hebrews quoted from several Old Testament passages to show how Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the Law and brought an end to the need for the sacrificial system. The first Old Testament passage is from Psalm 40:6 that explains how God was fed up with their dead religion which involved ritualistic sacrifice. The Psalmist explains how the One that will come to fulfil these prophecies will perfectly obey the will of God, “I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8). Because Jesus perfectly fulfilled the will of God, we can be counted righteous based upon His merit (2 Corinthians 5:21). The reading closes with an important point about how Jesus took away the first covenant of the Law and brought in the second one of grace. The author said, “By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (v. 10). We are sanctified or made holy through a one-time sacrifice that can never be repeated.

Introduction to the Gospel Reading:

The Gospel reading this week tells the story of Mary the mother of Jesus’ visit to Elizabeth who was to be the mother of John the Baptist. The context of the reading is that Mary had just been visited by the Angel Gabriel and told how she would be the mother of God’s Son Jesus, the Messiah. This reading is very important for Mary because she had just been told this incredible news about how God was going to bring the Messiah into the world through a supernatural, virgin birth. You can imagine that Mary’s heart was both elated and confused. Her visit to Elizabeth would have been a comforting and confirming experience to establish her faith in God’s unusual method of bringing the Messiah into the world.

Gospel Reading:

Luke 1:39-45 NAS95 39 Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”

When Mary arrived at her relatives’ home, Elizabeth was six months pregnant even though she was advanced in age and barren up until that point (Luke 1:36). Elizabeth’s greeting would have been confirmation to Mary that God was up to something and her appearance by the Angel Gabriel was not a figment of her imagination. We see a contrast in this passage regarding the response to the Angel Gabriel’s messages. Zacharias had not believed Gabriel but instead had asked for a sign (Luke 1:18). Elizabeth said under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that Mary had immediately believed, “And blessed is she who believed” (v. 45a). She was able to encourage Mary’s tender heart of belief that God could do the impossible, especially in light of the fact that she herself was pregnant with her own miracle child.

Elizabeth used this opportunity through the power of the Holy Spirit, to pronounce blessing upon Mary. She said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (v. 42). She also blessed her for believing what God had spoken to her through Gabriel. You can imagine that these pronouncements of blessing would have been important to Mary as she endured much opposition and suspicion over her unusual pregnancy. Mary may have even questioned whether this was a blessing or a curse when she was almost divorced by Joseph and when they had to travel to Bethlehem when she was great with child. The Christmas story is full of difficulties but this passage reminds us that being in the center of God’s will is to be blessed. Circumstances do not determine our favor from the Lord.

Bottom Line: Questions for Reflection

1.  As Christmas is very near take a moment to conduct an inventory of thankfulness. Write down five things for which you are thankful this Christmas holiday. 

2.  List two major challenges that came your way during the past year. How has God helped you through your challenges this year? What Scripture verses helped you during these difficult times?

Note: For a listing of readings for the Roman Catholic Mass, visit this web site:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/122015.cfm      

Source(s):

Online Scripture verses for most Bible versions can be found at:  http://www.biblegateway.com/

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Welcome back to the Sunday Mass notes for 12-21-2014. This week we open with the first reading from the Book of Second Samuel chapter 7. Then we move to the second reading from Paul’s Letter to the Romans and conclude with the Gospel lesson from the Gospel of Saint Luke. Christmas is only four days from this Sunday’s lesson so we pray that all of you have a very Merry Christmas.

The first reading is from the Book of Second Samuel. This is the second Book following First Samuel, and was originally one Book until the separation made by the translators of the Greek Old Testament known as the Septuagint. First and Second Samuel were written by an unknown author and chronicled the events from the birth of the Prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1-28) until the last words of King David (2 Samuel 23:1-7). First Samuel opens with a description of the corruption of the Levitical priesthood (1 Samuel 2:12-17) and the threats from Israel’s main enemy the Philistines who captured the Ark of the Covenant (1 Samuel 4). One of the main things that happened in these two Books was the pronouncement by God of the Davidic Covenant. This is the Covenant which is God’s promises to David made through Nathan and found in 2 Samuel 7, the text of today’s reading.

Note: The intervening verses that were skipped in the reading were included below in order to provide the full context and meaning.

1 Now it came about when the king lived in his house, and the LORD had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, 2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within tent curtains.” 3 Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your mind, for the LORD is with you.” 4 But in the same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying, 5 “Go and say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Are you the one who should build Me a house to dwell in? 6 For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle. 7 Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, which I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’”‘ 8 “Now therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth. 10 I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, nor will the wicked afflict them any more as formerly, 11 even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD also declares to you that the LORD will make a house for you. 12 When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, 15 but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”‘” (2 Samuel 7:1-16).

According the rules given the Moses the Lord’s dwelling place was in the tabernacle, but King David desired to build a temple for God (v. 2). Nathan the Prophet told David instead that the Lord would make a house for him (v. 11) and that his descendent (whom we know was his son Solomon) would be the one to build the temple of God (vv. 12-13). The promises from God to David as relayed by the Prophet Nathan included first, that David would have rest from his enemies (v. 11), that his descendent would build a temple of God (vv. 12-13), and finally that the “throne of David” would be established forever (v. 13 b). We understand that after God later revealed the mystery (as we will see in the second reading), the One who would sit upon the throne wasn’t King David’s son Solomon, but the Lord Jesus Himself. Verse 14 is a description of Jesus’ Second Advent, the coming rulership of Jesus during his coming earthly reign as we see confirmed by Revelation 12:5, “And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.” Israel is the one who gave birth to Jesus, and at His First Advent He was taken up into heaven (Acts 1:9). Jesus is the One that will sit on the Throne of David. Although Mary was the earthly host of Jesus, He was born as a child of the Nation of Israel, “a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars” (Revelation 12:1). Jesus is the Messiah of the Jews, and through the mystery of the church the Messiah of the Gentiles as well.

As you were reading the verses from 2 Samuel, it can be confusing as to whether the author was speaking about King David or the coming Messiah, the Son of David. The people in King David’s era hearing about Samuel’s prophecies may have desired to see David’s greater son and believed that somehow Solomon would reign forever. However, Jesus is the One called the Son of David. In the opening of Matthew’s Gospel Jesus is called the Son of David (Matthew 1:1). Later in Matthew Chapter 9 two blind men called out, “Have mercy on us Son of David” (Matthew 9:27). Even those that doubted knew Jesus’ identity. At one point after Jesus had performed great miracles the crowd called out, “this man cannot be the Son of David, can he?” (Matthew 12:23b). When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday the crowd cried out, “Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9). Jesus had a messianic title, and was the One to whom was promised His reign would endure forever (2 Samuel 7:13).

As we celebrate Christmas just four days from today, this is the Royal Person that we commemorate being born in the manger, where all ceremonial lambs are born. After Jesus’ resurrection, He “sat down at the right hand of the Father” (Hebrews 10:12), “having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time” (ibid). He is “waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET” (Hebrews 10:13). “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:13). Paul said that salvation is a free gift that comes through faith. “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). No matter how hard we try, Jesus’ work is still finished for us. We walk in the strength of God’s power for His purposes as we see in the very next verse of Ephesians. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). As believers we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, as Paul said in Chapter 1 of Ephesians. “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13). These are the spiritual truths that we are celebrating during Christmas. 

As we move onto the second reading from the closing version of the Paul’s Letter to the Romans, we see that the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus was the fulfillment of a great mystery that wasn’t understood until after He came. The Gospel of Jesus Christ was something that was hidden in the former times, but is now understood, a mystery revealed by God through Jesus Christ. 

25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, 26 but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen. (Romans 16:25-27)

The Good News (or Gospel) is appointed as a light to all the nations (v. 26d) which leads to the obedience of faith (v. 26e). Although this was a mystery in the ages past (v. 25b) it was manifested both by the many prophetic verses in the Scriptures and through the voice of the Prophets as we saw in the first reading. Paul said more about this mystery Ephesians:

2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you; 3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. 4 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; (Ephesians 3:2-5)

The salvation of the Gentiles through Jesus’ sacrifice and the church age was a mystery that wasn’t revealed until after Jesus came. Although the prophecies were there concerning the in-grafting of the Gentiles into God’s kingdom (see for example Isaiah 56:6-8 “foreigners,” the salvation of the Gentile Rahab in Joshua 2:9-11, the salvation of the Ninevites in the Book of Jonah). Isaiah was more explicit about this coming salvation for the Gentiles. He said about Jesus, the Root of Jesse, “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious” (Isaiah 11:10). Again, these are the spiritual truths that we celebrate during Christmas

The Gospel lesson is from Saint Luke and records the miraculous event of the birth of Jesus to the Virgin Mary.

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. 36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:26-38)

Many points arise from the reading. First, Mary is called the “favored one” in verse 28. She said about herself later in this chapter, “For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed” (Luke 1:48). One can hardly imaging the calling which God placed her to be the bearer of the Son of God. In the reading, God called Mary who found favor with God who was to be the bearer of God’s Son Jesus who would through the “ark” (see below) of His bodily sacrifice save the world from their sin. Jesus was conceived not through normal human means but through the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit (v. 34). Mary, was obviously very perplexed at all that was happening and called out to the Angel to explain these things (v. 34), who was more than glad to do so. Second, Mary’s Son would be called “the Son of God” (v. 35) and the Lord would give to him the throne of David (v. 32), the fulfillment of the prophecy that we saw in the first reading. Finally, Mary (and Joseph) were obedient to God in naming their Son Jesus, and Mary promised her obedience to God by calling herself “bondslave of the Lord” (v. 37). By the way, Jesus is from the Hebrew name “Jeshua,” which means “the Lord is Salvation.” Jesus is the salvation of the entire world, which is why we are so pleased to celebrate His birth on Christmas.

Noah, who came centuries before, was also called “blessed”, and it was through the righteous and faithful acts of Noah that the world was saved from the flood. God said, “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8). Noah built an ark to save the people of the world from the wrath of God that was to literally be poured out through the Flood.  The Blessed Mary on the other hand, bore the Son of God to be the ark of salvation for all who would believe.  These similarities between Noah and Mary are important because they show how these two people were obedient to the difficult callings that God placed upon their lives. Although it’s okay to ask questions when we discern the calling that God places upon our lives, it’s also crucially important as believers to carry out His instructions. 

While many of us are already familiar with the narrative concerning the birth of Jesus, this passage highlights important truths for our lives.  First, Saint Luke brought out the fact that Jesus was born not through natural human relations but through the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit. This is important because since God is without sin this was the only means by which the sinless God-Man could come into the world.  Second, since the virgin birth was a fulfillment of biblical prophecy we can trust other prophecies that speak to areas of our life and ministry. This includes things like how the second coming of the Lord will play out, how the world will be eventually unified under Jesus’ earthly reign.  Third, Jesus was sent to save His people from their sins.  This is God’s special invitation to counteract the destructive nature of sin in order to stand before a Holy God and not be rejected at the judgment.  This is not only “a” plan for salvation, it is “the” plan.  Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

May you and your family have a very Merry Christmas.

Bottom Line: Questions for Reflection

1.  In the first reading, what began as a promise that David’s son (we know as Solomon) would build a temple for God (v. 13a) expanded into a throne that would endure forever (v. 13b). The temple is a place where people gather to worship God, and in the Old Testament was a place inside of which God’s Spirit dwelled. We know the ruler of the temple is Jesus forever, but how can the throne of the temple endure forever, when we know that it was destroyed in 586 BC and again in AD70?

2.  In light of your answer to the first question, read what Saint Paul had to say in the Letters to the Corinthians. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” (1Corinthians  6:19).  “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). “And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people’” (2 Corinthians 6:16).

How would you change your answer in light of the spiritual truth that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit on which Jesus is (and will) reign forever?

Note: For a listing of readings for the Roman Catholic Mass visit this web site: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/122114.cfm   

First Reading 2 SM 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14A, 16

Second Reading ROM 16:25-27

Gospel Reading LK 1:26-38

Source(s):

Online Scripture verses for most Bible versions can be found at:  http://www.biblegateway.com/

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Welcome back to the Sunday Mass notes for 12-7-2014. This week we open with the first reading from Isaiah in which we see a prophecy about the coming of the forerunner who would announce the Messiah. Then we move to the second reading from Second Peter and close with the Gospel lesson from the first chapter of Mark.

The first reading is from Isaiah chapter 40. This section of Isaiah focuses upon the preaching of the Gospel as well as prophecy concerning the coming of the Messiah (Jesus). In the first verse, “Jerusalem” refers to the Nation as a whole. Note: Verses 6-8 that were skipped in the reading were included below.

1 “Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God. 2 “Speak kindly to Jerusalem; And call out to her, that her warfare has ended, That her iniquity has been removed, That she has received of the LORD’S hand Double for all her sins.” 3 A voice is calling, “Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley; 5 Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” 6 A voice says, “Call out.” Then he answered, “What shall I call out?” All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. 9 Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, Lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; Lift it up, do not fear. Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” 10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with might, With His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him And His recompense before Him. 11 Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes. (Isaiah 40:1-11)

In this passage, some timeless principles emerge for our lives today. A key point is that while humans are finite, God and His Word stand forever. If this is the case, then it is wise for us to study God’s Word and to orient our lives around its truth. This passage also shares the two-sided nature of the Messiah’s coming: “The Lord GOD will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him” and “Like a shepherd He will tend His flock . . .He will gently lead the nursing ewes” (v. 10-11). We see that God is gentle with those who need and accept His care, but He is also authoritative with those who are not willing to bend to His ways.

Another main theme in the reading is the prophecy of the future redemption of the Nation of Israel through the coming of the Messiah that will be announced by a forerunner. Although God disciplined Israel “double for her sins (v. 2), He began the restoration process first by sending John the Baptist as the forerunner of the Messiah Jesus as predicted in verse 3. Isaiah’s message was a picture of the manner in which the Messiah Jesus would be revealed to the world through a spokesperson as a forerunner who sends a clear message:

Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley; 5 Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. (vv. 3b – 5)

The forerunner, who in retrospect we know was John the Baptist, prepared the way for the coming of the King Jesus. John “cleared the way” by preaching the good news (the Gospel) telling the people that they needed to repent of their sins. John was removing the obstacles that lay in people’s paths in order to receive the subsequent message from Jesus that He was the only way to God (John 3:3, John 3:16, John 14:6). John was “leveling the mountains and smoothing the ground” so the world could receive Jesus’ Gospel. Like many prophetic writings, verse 5 has an “already not yet” sense in that although Jesus did come and His glory was revealed, in some future day He will return and all flesh will see the glory of the Lord.

Isaiah’s message was also a picture of the literal, eschatological (end times) restoration of the Nation of Israel. In the last days, God will make Jerusalem the capital city of the universe and remove both the physical and spiritual obstacles standing in the way for people to come to the Lord in Jerusalem. Verse 3 says, “Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.” We see something similar to this in Revelation 16:12 where God says that He will make a way for the “kings of the east.” Although the interpretation of this passage is difficult, it seems to mean that national leaders from regions to the east of Jerusalem will be converted to the true faith of God in the end times. Like many prophecies in the Bible, a day will come when we will be able to look back and understand the fulfillment of the prophecy in hindsight. Until then the best we can do is to “study to show ourselves approved” (2 Timothy 2:15). We must endeavor to utilize the prophecies to the best of our ability in a way that calls the world to repent of their sin and place their faith in the one and only means of finding an eternal relationship with God, faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. Through Isaiah’s message, we see the kindness of God who granted us salvation by His free grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). A caveat is that we must be willing to repent of our sins and turn from our former sinful behavior. This means to turn from, or agree with what God says about the seriousness of our sin.

The second reading is from the Second Epistle of Peter. The context is Paul’s teaching on the return of the Lord which will occur at the conclusion of the period known in the biblical text as the “Day of the Lord.” In this Epistle, Saint Peter described how the people in the future would say that since their daily lives were continuing as had been happening throughout all the previous generations that the Lord wasn’t going to return. They would say, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:4). Paul informed his readers that Jesus would indeed return and reminded them of the flood that God unleashed upon the ungodly world during the days of Noah (2 Peter 3:4-7). What he was saying was that the coming Day of the Lord’s judgment would unfold in a similar way as it did during the days of Noah. Our Lord had previously said, “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah” (Matthew 24:37). The reading for today picks up in verse 8.

8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless (2 Peter 3:8-14)

As we said in the introduction to the reading, Peter said that in the future, scoffers would come saying that the Lord was delaying His return (2 Peter 3:4). Peter corrected this false teaching by explaining that God, Who exists in eternity, does not count time the same way people do on earth (v. 8). Since with God “a thousand years is like one day,” the return of the Lord will come in an instant in the mind of God, quickly, “like a thief” (v. 10a). The reason that God has delayed isn’t because He is not returning, but because He is longsuffering (“patient” v. 9c) and “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (v.9d). This is the message that was preached by John the Baptist, the message that we will hear later in the Gospel lesson from Saint Mark. Peter went on to reveal some as yet untold prophecy about events that would happen in the universe sometime after Jesus returned. He said that the earth would be destroyed (or renewed) by fire (vv. 10b-11), and a new heaven and earth would be created “in which righteousness dwells” (v. 13b). Peter concluded the reading with the crux of the matter. “Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless” (v. 14, emphasis added). He told them that since the Lord was going to be returning soon along with terrible events on the earth, and the earth would then undergo a purification process in which all unrighteousness would be removed, they needed to be behaving in a manner befitting of this knowledge. Jesus said, “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into” (Matthew 24:43). The reality of Jesus’ soon return should encourage us to live in a manner that is consistent with His character and ways.

As we move to the Gospel lesson, let’s summarize what we have covered so far. We saw in the first reading how God in His grace would send a forerunner whom we know as John the Baptist to prepare the hearts of the people to receive the message of Jesus Christ. In the second reading, we saw that Peter warned the people that scoffers would come in the future saying that the Lord Jesus had delayed His return, and they would go on about their ungodly business as if the Lord was never going to return. Peter corrected this false theology and said the Lord was going to return and that we we should not mark time the way that it is done on earth, for God exists outside of time and with Him “a thousand years is as a day.” No, Peter said, the Lord would return in an instant “as a thief in the night.” Since He was coming quickly people needed to act in godly ways befitting of the imminent return of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16).

The Gospel reading is from the opening section of the Gospel of Saint Mark. Mark, known as John Mark (Acts 12:25) had a bit of a checkered past because he was the man that deserted Paul and Barnabas during Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 13:13). During Paul’s second missionary journey Barnabas wanted to take John Mark along, but this caused a strong disagreement with Paul (Acts 15:38-40). In spite of these events, John Mark went on to prove himself to be an extremely valuable co-worker in the Lord, and was even vindicated by Paul (Colossians 4:10). Mark was evidently a close disciple of Saint Peter because the latter described him as his son (1 Peter 5:13). Mark’s Gospel was written for Roman believers, primarily Gentiles because of some nuances he used in translating certain words from the Aramaic and his use of Latin instead of Greek in some places. The main theme of Mark is the presentation of Jesus as the suffering servant of God as portrayed in Isaiah 53. He emphasized Jesus’ humanity much more than the other Gospel writers including his emotions (for example Mark 8:12) and human limitations (for example Mark 11:12). Mark, unlike the other Gospel writers such as Luke, did not include lengthy genealogies of Jesus likely because these are not as significant to his intended Gentile audience.

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY; 3 THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.’” 4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey. 7 And he was preaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. 8 I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:1-8)

Mark, obviously very familiar with Isaiah, quoted from his Book in the very first verse of his Gospel. The coming of John the Baptist marks the fulfillment of verse 3 from Isaiah 40 that we studied in the first reading. John was described as a most unusual man “clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist” (v. 6). The key point of this verse is now that John the Baptist had come, he would point the way for the coming of Jesus Christ (v. 7). John the Baptist said, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I” (v. 7a), then humbly said, “and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals” (v. 7b). John the Baptist then foretold how Jesus would not only baptize with water, such as he was doing, but would send God’s Holy Spirit (v. 8). John the Baptist was Jesus’ cousin, having been born to Elizabeth (Luke 1:34-37, Jesus’ disciple John, the one whom Jesus loved, was also Jesus’ cousin). Note that John’s diet was indicative of his reliance upon God, the same way that Elijah relied upon God when he fed him by the ravens as told in 1 Kings 17:6. John the Baptist was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy about the coming of a “forerunner” that was saw in the first reading. His coming was also the fulfillment of the prophecy regarding the return of the Prophet Elijah given in the Book of Malachi. God said in that Book, “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.” (Malachi 4:5-6). The future fulfillment will be when Jesus returns with His church at the end of the age as we studied last week.

What does all of this mean for us as we live out our lives as Christians? First, like John, we also are called to “prepare the way of the Lord” by preaching the Good News to the world that if they repent of their sin and place their faith in Jesus Christ they will have eternal forgiveness in eternity with God. God is “patient and not willing that any should perish” to the extent that He uses unusual people like John the Baptist and even more unusual people like you and me to do His work! Finally, since the return of the Lord Jesus is imminent we need to accelerate our proclamation of this message, as well as live in a way befitting of His soon return.

Bottom Line: Questions for Reflection

1.  The Gospel reading said that “all of the country of Judea was going to [John the Baptist] . . . and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins” (Mark 1:5). What do you think motivated the people to confess their sins to him? As a clue, what word is repeated in verses 4 and 7?

2.  As we look towards Christmas coming up in just two and half weeks, pray and ask God if there is anything standing in the way between you and the relationship with Him that He desires with you.

Dear God, is there anything that you would have me to do during this Christmas season? What mountains needs to be made flat, and hills need to be leveled in order for me to accomplish your will this Christmas season?

Note: For a listing of readings for the Roman Catholic Mass visit this web site: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/120714.cfm    

First Reading IS 40:1-5, 9-11

Second Reading 2 PT 3:8-14

Gospel Reading MK 1:1-8

Source(s):

Online Scripture verses for most Bible versions can be found at:  http://www.biblegateway.com/

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB