December 18 2019 - The Lord our Justice

Yesterday, we heard one of the most ancient prophecies in the bible that the messiah would have royal lineage. Old dying Jacob prophecied to his son Judah, that from him would come a ruler, a king. And that prophecy certainly came true, as David the first king of the united Israel, came from the tribe of Judah. But, as the royal line continued, through David, then Solomon, and so on, those kings failed miserably in their royal duties and obligations. They allowed pagan idolatry to take root in their land, prostitution, child sacrifice, adultery and sexual deviance. David’s line appeared to be more of a lineage of unjust kings, a lineage of the unrighteous. And because of their poor leadership, Israel’s political and religious identity suffered and Israel became subject to foreign invasions from a host of enemies, particularly the Assyrians and the Babylonians.

During the Babylonian captivity God raised up a prophet, Jeremiah to preach to the people of Israel about the need to return to the precepts of the God of Israel and to purify their religion from foreign corruption. And in particularly scathing address to those unjust kings and their failures, Jeremiah offered a word of hope, the prophecy we heard today, of a righteous shoot, a righteous branch from the royal line of David, God will deliver Israel from those unjust kings, and raise up a righteous one.
“As king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land…they shall name him the Lord Our Justice”

The O Antiphon for today, December 18, refers to the Messiah as Lord, “O Adonai” the Hebrew word for Lord, “O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel” O Lord and Leader of the House of Israel. Jesus is the just Lord, the righteous one, born of the royal line of David, the fulfillment of God’s promises and the oracles of the prophets.

Of course, we hope and pray that our political leaders will be righteous, who will work for our security and prosperity, who will hopefully stand as bulwarks against the powers of evil and corruption. But we recognize, that no earthly leader can do what Jesus the Lord can do and has done, only he can save us from our sins. Only he can bring the liberation from the powers of darkness in our own souls. Only he can bring eternal life and grant us the inheritance of his eternal kingdom. Only he can make us sons and daughters of God.

May we submit to his rule, and open our minds and hearts every more deeply to the redemption that only he can bring, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

That the witness of the Church may help all nations come to believe in the Lordship of Jesus.

That our president and all civil servants will carry out their duties with justice, honesty, and respect for the dignity of every human life.  We pray to the Lord.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life and a strengthening of all marriages in holiness.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, ward off every affliction, and strengthen all who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.

December 18 2018 - O Adonai - He shall save His People

One of the things that has always struck me about today’s Gospel story, of the archangel’s visit to St. Joseph, is that the archangel tells Joseph what he is to name the Christ child. Modern parents will often spend a lot of time flipping through books of baby names, actually they have websites for that now, to help them decide what they will name their child. They might pick a name in honor of a grandparent, a celebrity or saint, or they might pick a name whose meaning contains characteristics they hope their children will embody. My first name, for example, Kevin, has irish or gaelic roots, and means gentle, noble, and kind. I think my parents did a pretty good job with that, don’t you?

In ancient Israel, the child’s father was responsible for naming the child. Earlier in the Gospel of Luke, we hear how Zechariah names his son to be John. That God chooses the name of the Christ child shows that the son of Mary is the true Divine Son of the Heavenly Father. And God too chooses a name that will characterize the Son’s identity and mission. The Archangel announces the Father’s will, “You shall name Him Jesus”  The name ‘Jesus’ is derived from the Old Testament name “Joshua” which means, “God is salvation”.  What a perfect name. Jesus is God, and He is our salvation.

Now, first-century Jews were expecting God to save them from their political enemies.  Rome was occupying their land, controlling their religious life, cruelly torturing and murdering Jews who spoke out against Rome.

But the angel tells Joseph, that Jesus wasn’t going to save Israel from their earthly enemies.  Jesus was going to save Israel and all mankind from their sins.  For sin is a greater threat than any political enemy. Sin brought about not just an enemy’s occupation of one’s homeland, but the occupation of one’s soul. Sin threatened not just one’s national identity, but a defacement of one’s identity as a child of God.

The Advent O Antiphons for this morning applies another name from the Old Testament to the Christ Child. I sang “O Adonai”.  O Lord and leader of the House of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm. 

Jesus is identified as the God who led Israel out of Egyptian slavery, who gave them the law that they might be a holy nation.

These names and titles help us to truly prepare for Christmas because amidst all the busyness, they help us to focus on who Jesus is, and what really matters.  That to us is born a savior who came to free us from being separated from God, from our destructive habits.

That Jesus is Lord, Adonai, means that we belong to him, we owe our loyalty to Him we owe our obedience to his law, and we owe worship to his glory, bringing to him the pure and acceptable offering of the total submission of our minds, hearts, and lives. May our honor of him help every tongue to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

That the witness of the Church may help all nations come to believe in the Lordship of Jesus.

That our president and all civil servants will carry out their duties with justice, honesty, and respect for the dignity of every human life.  

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life and a strengthening of all marriages in holiness.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, ward off every affliction, and strengthen all who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.

December 18 2017 - O Adonai

Yesterday began what is often called “Deep Advent” or “Late Advent”.  Where the first two weeks of Advent focus on the Second Coming of Christ at the End of Time, the second half of Advent focuses on his first coming at his birth and his abiding with us.  The scripture and the prayers of the Mass help us to focus on the identity of the Christ Child, and the mission for which he is born.

The Gospel acclamations during these last few days of Advent are the ancient “O Antiphons.” Each Antiphon begins by addressing Christ by one of His messianic titles from the Old Testament. O Sapientia, O Adonai, O Radix Jesse, O Clavis David, O Oriens, O Rex Gentium, and O Emmanuel. The antiphon ends with a heartfelt plea for his coming.

The archangel in the Gospel refers to the Christ Child as a child with many names. He will be called Jesus, who name means “God saves”. His name signifies his identity and mission. Mary’s son is God in the flesh born to save us from or sins.

Archangel Gabriel explains this fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us."

Today, I chanted “O Adonai et dux domus Israel”.  O Adonai and leader of the House of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.

The Christ Child for whom we prepare is identified with the Lord of Israel and the giver of the law. The O Antiphon refers to the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai and also the prophet Isaiah who says, “Adonai is our lawgiver, Adonai is our king: he will save us.”

Again, preparing well for Christmas isn’t simply about making sure our presents are wrapped and cookies are made. We do well to meditate deeply on the identity and mission of the Christ Child.

Recognizing that the Christ Child is Lord, Adonai, means that we belong to him, we owe our loyalty to Him as subjects to a king, we owe our obedience to his law, and we owe worship to his glory, bringing to him the pure and acceptable offering of the total submission of our minds, hearts, and lives.

May our honor of him help every tongue to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

That the witness of the Church may help all nations come to believe in the Lordship of Jesus.

That our president and all civil servants will carry out their duties with justice, honesty, and respect for the dignity of every human life.  We pray to the Lord.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life and a strengthening of all marriages in holiness.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, ward off every affliction, and strengthen all who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.