THURSDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF ADVENT - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Morning star, radiance of eternal light,

sun of justice,

come and enlighten those who live in darkness

and in the shadow of death.

2 SAMUEL 7:1-5,8-12,14,16

My Soul's Beloved,

Like David, we are reminded today that we can do nothing for You - it is You who do it all for us. The Lord chose David, the youngest of his father's sons who was a shepherd tending his father's sheep. It was the Lord who anointed him and raised him up as king over His people. It was God who fought his battles and defeated all his enemies and united his kingdom. When David expressed a desire to build God a temple and lay the Ark of God in it he was reminded that it is God who decides, chooses, and appoints who He wills, not we. 

God made an everlasting Covenant with David and his heirs. Of all the kings to rule Israel David was the one beloved of God. He foreshadowed the perfect King who would come after him, a Shepherd-King who would rout the enemy and triumph victoriously over evil forever. His Kingdom, His rule, His dominion will have no end.  

PSALM 89:2-5,27,29

My Soul's Beloved,

All who live in the shadow of Your Presence, have a song on their lips that nothing can silence. 

We were lost and unable to return to our Father's house so He sent You, His only Son, His Firstborn, His Beloved. You became like us in all things save sin in order to take us by the hand and lead us back to that place of perfect love and perfect rest in our Father's bosom for all eternity. 

You are the Father's Covenant with us. Through You, we are saved, through You all come to the knowledge of Truth. You alone, there is no other. To You is given an eternal and everlasting Throne and to You is given all rule, dominion, and kingship. 

The Father has one Son, You, but because we are grafted to Your Body, He is our Father too. He is Your Rock and You are ours. The Father makes an everlasting, covenantal love with us because we belong to You. 

LUKE 1:67-79

My Soul's Beloved,

Zechariah had nine long months of silence in which to contemplate this miracle of life burgeoning in Elizabeth's once barren womb, wrought by God in their old age. There was an explosion of praise, wonder, worship, and thanksgiving going on in his heart and soul as each day progressed. Finally,  his son was born. All the desires and longings of his heart were here in the flesh, in this little baby boy. Yet he knew through the Holy Spirit that this was a child of promise, destined by God for far more than just the fulfillment of all his hopes. This child was to be the herald of a new dawn. 

As soon as he wrote on the tablet, 'His name is John.' His tongue was set loose. Nine months of wondrous, rapturous, silent contemplation of this great thing that God had done burst forth in a canticle of praise and thanksgiving. 

Zechariah's Benedictus, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is an obligatory prayer that for centuries has been recited daily in the Divine Office by all priests, religious, monks, as well as laypeople who desire to unite with the Church in praying the Liturgy of the Hours. It is a celebratory prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God for His everlasting love and faithfulness in caring for, protecting, watching over, and redeeming His people.   

Prophesying his own son's destiny as God's Herald, he says,  

And you, little child,
you shall be called Prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord
to prepare the way for him,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins;
this by the tender mercy of our God
who from on high will bring the rising Sun to visit us,
to give light to those who live
in darkness and the shadow of death
and to guide our feet
into the way of peace.’

Each one of us, by virtue of our Baptism, is given the same mission of preparing our own hearts, souls, and lives, first, and then those around us by the authentic witness of our lives, for Your coming again. This time not in poverty, in humility, as a helpless, defenseless little Baby but in glory, power, and majesty to judge the living and the dead. May we not be caught asleep when that day arrives.