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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 Tuesday 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
as his portion in the holy land,
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
John’s Book of Revelation provides
an image 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 symbol 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.”
CCC: Rv
12 1138
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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 of the people 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 bearing the Savior of the World. St. Mary
graciously accepts this honor, although with very human fear indicating that
her free will is at play. This response makes 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 no relations with a man?” Even
though she does not understand, Mary accepts her role and is told that the Holy
Spirit will be the agent of the life within her. She then 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
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.
CCC: Lk 1:26-38 497, 706, 723, 2571; Lk 1:26-27 488; Lk 1:26 332; Lk 1:28-37 494; Lk 1:28 490, 491; Lk 1:31 430, 2812; Lk 1:32-33 709; Lk 1:32 559; Lk 1:34 484, 497, 505; Lk 1:35 437, 484, 486, 697; Lk 1:37-38 494; Lk 1:37 148, 269, 273, 276; Lk 1:38 64, 148, 510, 2617, 2677, 2827, 2856
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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 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.”
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 following the annunciation by Gabriel that she would carry the Son of
God proclaims the coming of the Lord and the faith of Mary before the nativity
event. We note that Elizabeth is first to identify Jesus as Lord as she says:”…how
does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” She not
only professes the identity of the infant but foreshadows Mary’s leadership
standing, elevating the stature of her much younger cousin with reverence.
Elizabeth continues her praise of Mary by establishing that her (Mary’s) faith
had allowed her to accept the incredible role God had offered her.
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.”
CCC: Lk
1:41 523, 717,
2676; Lk 1:43 448, 495,
2677; Lk 1:45 148, 2676; Lk 1:46-55 722,
2619, 2675; Lk 1:46-49 2097
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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’s, her son’s, mission. We recall the
story of how she appeared to Juan Diego as he reached the base of the hill known
as Tepeyac that first time. We see in her the apostolate to which we are all
called. She points steadfastly to 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, the kingdom to come
(“Thy kingdom come”), the first saint, the Queen of Heaven, points the way to
that end. She is not only the herald of things to come, but provides us with an
attitude of humility and obedience to God’s will that opens the door to our own
possibilities as servants of Christ.
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
will 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 that 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
[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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