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| “Our Lady of Guadalupe” detail photograph of the tilma of Juan Diego |
Outside the Americas this
Feast is an optional memorial and Friday of the Second Week of Advent may be celebrated.
Reading 1: Zechariah
2:14-17
Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion
See, I am coming to dwell
among you, says the LORD.
Many nations shall join
themselves to the LORD on that day,
and they shall be his people,
and he will dwell among you,
and you shall know that the
LORD of hosts has sent me to you.
The LORD will possess Judah
and he will again choose Jerusalem
Silence, all mankind, in the
presence of the LORD!
For he stirs forth from his
holy dwelling.
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Commentary on Zec
2:14-17
This selection from the Book of the Prophet
Zechariah is seen as predicting the coming of the Messiah. It provides a rather
unique glimpse at the messianic expectation – He comes to unify and bring
security to the faithful. This passage also demonstrates the “true man, true
God” essence of the Lord by first saying “I am coming to dwell among you” followed by “Silence, all mankind, in the presence of the Lord! For he stirs forth
from his holy dwelling.”
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God’s temple in heaven was
opened,
and the ark of his covenant
could be seen in the temple.
A great sign appeared in the
sky, a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of
twelve stars.
She was with child and wailed
aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.
Then another sign appeared in
the sky;
it was a huge red dragon,
with seven heads and ten horns,
and on its heads were seven
diadems.
Its tail swept away a third
of the stars in the sky
and hurled them down to the
earth.
Then the dragon stood before
the woman about to give birth,
to devour her child when she
gave birth.
She gave birth to a son, a
male child,
destined to rule all the
nations with an iron rod.
Her child was caught up to
God and his throne.
The woman herself fled into
the desert
where she had a place
prepared by God.
Then I heard a loud voice in
heaven say:
“Now have salvation and power
come,
and the Kingdom of our God
and the authority of his
Anointed.”
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Commentary on Rev
11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
Here we are given
the passage from John’s Book of Revelation that provides a symbol of the
Blessed Virgin Mary who is Queen of Heaven. In the passage the eschatological
symbolism shows Mary giving birth to her son, Jesus. It also depicts Satan who,
knowing the nature of the Lord, puts forces in motion to destroy the child.
This portrayal, with images taken from Genesis and symbols of the twelve tribes
of Israel, shows the Christ being born of Mary and recalls her flight to Egypt.
The dragon (which is the first one to be depicted) represents the secular
governments at the time – Herod and Rome. The final verse of the passage
proclaims Jesus as the Christ – “his
Anointed One.”
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Responsorial Psalm: Judith
13:18bcde, 19
R. (15:9d) You are the highest honor of our race.
Blessed are you, daughter, by
the Most High God,
above all the women on earth;
and blessed be the LORD God,
the creator of heaven and
earth.
R. You are the highest honor of our race.
Your deed of hope will never
be forgotten
by those who tell of the
might of God.
R. You are the highest honor of our race.
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Commentary on Judith
13:18bcde, 19
This short hymn
of praise from Judith (who at the time of its writing represented the faithful
people) is predictive of the blessed role Mary will play in human salvation. In the story immediately preceding these
verses Judith offers to sacrifice herself for salvation and is here found
praiseworthy for her willingness to do so.
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Gospel: Luke 1:26-38
The angel Gabriel was sent
from God
to a town of Galilee
called Nazareth
to a virgin betrothed to a
man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was
Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The
Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled
at what was said
and pondered what sort of
greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with
God.
Behold, you will conceive in
your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be
called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give
him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the
house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will
be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations
with a man?”
And the angel said to her in
reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come
upon you,
and the power of the Most
High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be
born
will be called holy, the Son
of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your
relative,
has also conceived a son in
her old age,
and this is the sixth month
for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be
impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the
handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me
according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from
her.
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Commentary on Lk
1:26-38
This passage from St. Luke’s
Gospel is the story of Mary being informed by the Archangel Gabriel that she
has been chosen for the great privilege of baring the Savior of the World. St.
Mary graciously accepts this honor although with very human fear indicating
that her free will is at play – making her obedience to God’s will more
powerful. It is proposed that with this acceptance, Mary entered into a vow of
perpetual virginity because of the demands of Isaiah 7:14 (“Therefore the Lord himself will give you
this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him
Immanuel.”)
In St. Luke’s story of the
Annunciation, the Archangel Gabriel comes to Mary and tells her she will bear a
son and names him Jesus (the eternal implication of this statement is made
clear in the greeting which presupposes knowledge of Mary’s entire existence).
Mary confirms the title “Virgin” given by the author as she questions Gabriel
saying; “How can this be, since I have not relations with a man?” Even
though she does not understand Mary accepts she role and is told that the Holy
Spirit will be the agent of the life within her and utters those amazing words:
"Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according
to your word."
This announcement is parallel to
the Zechariah’s news about John the Baptist (Luke 1:5-23), which is also delivered
by the Angel Gabriel. This passage clearly identifies Jesus as Son of David and
Son of God thus linking it with the messianic predictions from the Old
Testament.
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OR: Luke
1:39-47
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
the infant leaped in her
womb,
and Elizabeth
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.”
And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the
greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my
savior.”
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Commentary on Lk
1:39-47
The story of Mary’s meeting with Elizabeth Elizabeth Elizabeth
In response we hear Mary’s humility as she begins
with the opening verse of the Magnificat “My
soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”
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Reflection:
The Feast of Our Lady of
Guadalupe gives us the opportunity once more to prayerfully consider the role
of Mary, the Mother of God in Christ, her Son’s, mission. We recall the story
of how she came to Juan Diego as he reached the base of the hill known as
Tepeyac that first time the Holy Mother came to him. We see in her the
apostolate to which we are all called. She points steadfastly at her Son,
infusing those who hear her voice with the love of God.
One of the more striking
facts about the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is that she is pregnant in the
image. She who is filled with grace is
depicted carrying our Lord in her womb. Like
those of us who are faith filled, she contains Christ and will bring him to the
world. We are called to do the same.
In this Advent season when
scripture so urgently points us to the Kingdom of God
In the second Gospel option,
we hear Mary respond to the praise of Elizabeth who says what we feel, “Mary
you are so full of grace, so exalted among all humanity how can we even come to
you?” And how does the Mother of God respond as her elder holds her up and places
her above all humanity? She begins with an abject and profound statement of
love and faith in God. She fairly sings her tremendous love for Him “My soul
proclaims (Magnifies) the greatness of the Lord” Her very being is dedicated to
the Father “My spirit rejoices in God my savior.”
She refuses the crown on
earth, but instead professes her obedience to the one God and to His will that
she be the vessel of His greatest gift. Perhaps it is because she was free from
original sin that she could so perfectly respond to God and later to her
cousin. Whatever the reason, she is the model of faith to which we all
subscribe and attempt to emulate. We thank God for placing her active witness
among us, a constant reminder of the great love Her Son has for us. She faithfully
points us to the Advent of our Lord and we pray our response to Him, when he
comes again, will be as faithful as the one we see in His Mother
Pax.
[1]
The picture used today is “Our Lady of
Guadalupe” detail photograph of the tilma of Juan Diego
[2]
ALTRE
[3]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the
Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and
is for private use only.
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