Second Sunday of Advent
December 4, 2016
AlmightyandmercifulGod,
maynoearthlyundertakinghinderthose
whosetoutinhastetomeetyourSon,
butmayourlearningofheavenlywisdom
gainusadmittancetohiscompany.
Wholiveandreignswithyou
intheunityoftheHolySpirit,
oneGod,foreverandever.Amen.
CollectfortheSecondSundayofAdvent
Wehavebeenlivingthroughsomeextraordinarytimes!IntheUnitedStatesthe
resultsoftheNationalelectionsseemtostillbeinturmoil.Inourpartofthecountry
theweatherhasbeenextremelymild.Itseemslikewearewaitingfor“theothershoe
todrop”!
Whenwespendtimegrapplingwiththewordsofourscripture,thetimeoffirstIsaiah
(Isaiah11:1-10)doesnotseemterriblydifferentfromourowntimes.Theprophetspeaks
ofthefuture,promisingaleaderthatwillcomefromaveryunexpectedplace…“the
stumpofJesse”.Weneedtojustlookaroundandeverythingseemsdead.Itishardto
believethatnewlife,anewworldwillblossomfromwhatlooksdead.Thesectionthat
wearegivenforreflectiontodaygivesuscertaingiftswehearaboutasthegiftsweare
receivinginthegreatSacramentofConfirmation.
ThespiritoftheLORDshallrestuponhim:
aspiritofwisdomandofunderstanding,
aspiritofcounselandofstrength,
aspiritofknowledgeandoffearoftheLORD,
andhisdelightshallbethefearoftheLORD.
(Isaiah11:2-3a)
Theseancientgifts,alongwiththegiftofpiety,arewhatwearetoexerciseasfully
initiatedCatholicChristians,aswehavebeenConfirmed.Howwouldourworldlookif
thosewhoareinleadershiprelatedtoothersexercisingthesegifts.Itwouldmean
actionswouldbeinfluencedbyGod.Itwouldmeanthatleaderswouldstruggleto
understandtheactionsandmotivesoftheirfollowers.Itwouldmeanmorenegotiation
thanimpositionoftheleader’sway.
The prophet is urging his followers to look
into the depth of the behavior of those who
share the world with them. Justice is well
beyond fairness. The Hebrew Scriptures are
filled with contradictions. Forsins
committedoutoffear.Forsinscommittedoutofindifference.
Forsinscommittedoutofcontempt.Forsinscommittedoutofimpurity.
Forsinscommittedoutofhatred.Forsinscommittedoutoflaziness.
Forsinscommittedoutofcowardice.Forsinscommittedoutofanger.
Forsinscommittedoutofgreed.Forsinscommittedoutofjealousy.
Forsinscommittedoutofrevenge.Forsinscommittedoutofdisobedience.
Forsinscommittedoutofhard-heartedness.Forsinscommittedoutofpride.
Forsinscommittedoutofenvy.Forsinscommittedoutofstinginess.
Forsinscommittedoutofselfishness.Forsinscommittedoutofpettiness.
Forsinscommittedoutofspite.Forsinscommittedoutofself-indulgence.
Forsinscommittedoutoflust.Forsinscommittedoutofcarelessneglect.
Forsinscommittedoutofprejudice.
BecauseIamobnoxious,forgivemeLord.BecauseIamdishonest,forgivemeLord.
BecauseIamegotistical,forgivemeLord.BecauseIamundisciplined,forgivemeLord.
BecauseIamweak,forgivemeLord.BecauseIamimpure,forgivemeLord.
BecauseIamarrogant,forgivemeLord.BecauseIamself-centered,forgivemeLord.
BecauseIampompous,forgivemeLord.BecauseIaminsincere,forgivemeLord.
BecauseIamunchaste,forgivemeLord.BecauseIamgrasping,forgivemeLord.
BecauseIamjudgmental,forgivemeLord.BecauseIamimpatient,forgivemeLord.
BecauseIamshallow,forgivemeLord.BecauseIaminconsistent,forgivemeLord.
BecauseIamunfaithful,forgivemeLord.BecauseIamimmoral,forgivemeLord.
BecauseIamungrateful,forgivemeLord.BecauseIamdisobedient,forgivemeLord.
BecauseIamselfish,forgivemeLord.BecauseIamlukewarm,forgivemeLord.
BecauseIamslothful,forgivemeLord.BecauseIamunloving,forgivemeLord.
BecauseIamuncommitted,forgivemeLord.BecauseIamsinful,forgivemeLord.
BecauseIamlovedbyYou,thankyouLord!
AnActofContrition:
OmyGod,IamheartilysorryforhavingoffendedThee,
andIdetestallmysins,becauseIdreadthelossofheaven,
andthepainsofhell;butmostofallbecausetheyoffendThee,myGod,
Whoareallgoodanddeservingofallmylove.
Ifirmlyresolve,withthehelpofThygrace,
toconfessmysins,todopenance,andtoamendmylife.
http://blog.adw.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/litany-of-reparation-and-repentance.pdf
UsingtheLiturgyoftheWord,wecankeepourheartsandmindsopentoreceivethe
greatestgiftever,JesusourLordandSavior.TheCollect,prayedinfaith,asksthatno
earthlyundertakinghindersusaswegoouttomeetourSavior.Maywepraythisin
wisdom.
ReflectingonthisreadingfromtheprophetIsaiah,wearegivenavisionofpeace
amongthenaturalenemies.InourNorthcountrywewouldneverplacenatural
enemiesinthesameenclosure.Weneedtobelieveinuniversalpeaceandworkfor
such.
WhodoesGodwanttobringtogethertoday?
Whatdivisionsdowelongtoseehealed?
SunniandShiites?IsraelisandPalestinians?
DemocratsandRepublicans?AfghansandTaliban?
TeaPartyandProgressive?IndiansandPakistanis?
SupportersofMr.TrumpandsupportersofMrs.Clinton?
LiberalsandConservatives?Blacksandwhites?
Immigrantsandnativeborn?Richandpoor?
Youngandold?Gayandstraight?
https://educationforjustice.org/resources/lectionary-reflections-second-sunday-advent-december-4-2016
St.PaulwroteaverypreciselettertothepeopleofRome.Thesectiononwhichwe
reflecttodayspeaksofboththeJewishpeopleandtheGentiles.Itshowsusthatallare
oneinChrist.
Welcomeoneanother,then,
asChristwelcomedyou,forthegloryofGod.
ForIsaythatChristbecameaministerofthecircumcised
toshowGod’struthfulness,toconfirmthepromisestothepatriarchs,
butsothattheGentilesmightglorifyGodforhismercy
Romans15:7-9a.
ThisLiturgicalYearusestheGospelofMatthew.ThefirstchapterofMatthewusesthe
genealogyofJesus,tracinghisoriginsfromourfatherinfaith,Abrahamtothefoster
fatherofJesus,Joseph.InthischapterwehearofJosephbeingtoldofthepregnancyof
Mary,inadream.ThesecondchapterofMatthewtellsofthevisitoftheMagiwhen
Jesuswasayoungchild,atoddler.
Today’sGospelspeaksofJohntheBaptist,thelastoftheOldTestamentprophets.His
mannerofdressingandeatingisreminiscentoftheOldTestamentprophet,Elijah,
dressedincamelhair,withaleatherbeltandeatinglocustandwildhoney.Hismessage
issimilartotheOldTestamentprophets:“Repent,forthekingdomofheavenisathand!”
(Matthew3:2)
ThefourweeksofAdventfirstspeakofendtimes,withthefinalcomingofJesusin
judgmentandthentothegreatmysteryoftheIncarnation,withJesus,theSonofGod,
becominghuman.Thisparticulargospelremindsusoftheimportanceoflettinggoof
allthesinthatbindsus.WithinthecrowdsthatwereapproachingJohnwerethe
SadduceesandthePharisees,whoaccordingtoJohn,didnotbeargoodfruit.
TobeabletohearthepleaofJohntheBaptistwecanspendsometimeprayingwiththe
followinglitanyofrepentance.Needlesstosay,noneofusareguiltyofeverything
listedherebutbecauseweareacommunityoffaithweneedtoprayforourbrothers
andsistersthroughouttheworld.
LITANYOFREPENTANCE
Inreparationforsinsagainstjustice.Inreparationforsinsagainstmodesty.
Inreparationforsinsagainstpurity.Inreparationforsinsagainsttruth.
Inreparationforallsinsagainstthehumanperson.
Inreparationforsinsagainstchildrenandtheyoung.
Inreparationforsinsagainsttheinnocentandtrusting.
Inreparationforsinsagainstthefrailandelderly.
Inreparationforsinsagainsttheunbornandinfants.
Inreparationforsinsagainsttheweakandpowerless.
Inreparationforsinsagainstimmigrantsandstrangers.
Inreparationforsinsagainstthepooranddisadvantaged.
Inreparationforsinsagainstthesanctityofmarriage.
Inreparationforsinsagainstthesanctityofthefamily.
Inreparationforsinsagainstthesanctityofthepriesthood.
Inreparationforsinsagainstthesanctityofconsecratedlife.
ForourfailuretogivewitnesstoChristasweought.
ForourfailuretosubmitourwilltoGod.
Forourfailuretogivegoodexampletoothers.
ForourfailuretoseekGodaboveallthings.
Forourfailuretoactjustly.Forourfailuretoshowmercy.
Forourfailuretorepentofoursins.
Forourfailuretoobeythecommandmentsofthegospel.
Forourfailuretocurbourearthlydesires.Forourfailuretoleadaholylife.
Forourfailuretospeakthetruth.Forourfailuretostandupagainstinjustice.
Forourfailuretolivechastely.Forourfailuretoshowcompassionforthesuffering.
Forourfailuretoguidesinnerstorepentance.Forourfailuretoprayforothers.
Forourfailuretoassistthoseinneed.Forourfailuretoconsolethegrieving.
Forourfailuretoforgiveothers.
Forourfailuretoencouragethosewhoareweakinfaith.
Forourfailuretoendurethetrialsoflifepatiently.Forourfailuretovisitthesick.
Forourfailuretoloveasweought.Forourfailuretopracticeourfaithwithzeal.
Forourfailuretoworkfortheunityofpeoplesandnations.
Forourfailuretopromotepeaceandreconciliation.
Forourfailuretoseekforgivenessforoursins.
Forourfailuretobegenerouswithourgoods.