DAILY GOSPEL
«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
20 December
Feast of the Church : The Great O Antiphons: "O Clavis David"
Saint(s) of the day : St. Dominic of Silos, Abbot (11th century)
Prudentius : "He will be called Son of the Most High... he will rule forever"
Book of Isaiah 7:10-14.
The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying:
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!
But Ahaz answered, "I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!"
Then he said: Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.
Psalms 24(23):1-2.3-4ab.5-6.
A psalm of David. The earth is the LORD'S and all it holds, the world and those who live there.
For God founded it on the seas, established it over the rivers.
Who may go up the mountain of the LORD? Who can stand in his holy place?
"The clean of hand and pure of heart, who are not devoted to idols, who have not sworn falsely.
They will receive blessings from the LORD, and justice from their saving God.
Such are the people that love the LORD, that seek the face of the God of Jacob." Selah
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint 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.
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
Commentary of the day :
Prudentius (348-after 405), a poet in Spain
« Emerge, dulcis pusio », extract from a Christmas hymn « Quid est quod artum circulum »
"He will be called Son of the Most High... he will rule forever"
Show yourself, sweet infant,
Brought to birth by a mother most pure,
Who gave birth to you not knowing man;
In both your natures show yourself, O Mediator.
Though born in time from the Father's mouth,
Fathered by his word (Lk 1,38),
Even now you dwell in the Father's breast (Jn 1,2)
Who are eternal Wisdom (1Cor 1,24).
You are the Wisdom who created all (Prv 8,27):
The heavens, the light, and all that is.
You are the mighty Word who made the world (Heb 1,3),
For the Word is God himself (Jn 1,2).
When he had set in order the course of ages
And fixed the laws of the universe,
This builder and Framer of the world
Remained in the Father's breast.
But when time had covered
Thousands of years,
You came down to visit
This world so sinful for so long a time.
Christ could not bear the fall
Of peoples who were lost,
Nor allow his Father's work
To descend into nothingness.
He put on a mortal body
That the resurrection of our flesh
Might break the bonds of death
and bring us back to the Father...
O gracious Virgin, do you not sense how,
Despite your sorrowful presentiments,
This glorious childbearing
Increases the lustre of your virginity?
Your most pure womb contains the blessed fruit
That fills all creatures with joy.
A new world will be born through you:
Dawn of a day that shines like gold.
.
Subject: Re: The Daily Gospel 
