Second Sunday of Advent
St. Barbara's branch
John, Chapter 12, Verse 25
Whoever LOVES his life--loses it, and whoever hates his life in
this world will preserve it for eternal life.
We
are all seeds and a seed that is not buried will not bear fruit. Jesus is mentioning his own self-giving
which He joins to that of His disciples. They are called to identical servant
roles.[1]
This is servant leadership.
The servant leader is servant first….
Becoming a servant-leader begins with the natural feeling that one wants to
serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That
person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of
the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions.
For such people, it will be a later choice to serve—after leadership is
established. The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types.
Between them are the shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety
of human nature (Greenleaf, 2002, pp. 24-25)
Finding
your Voice[2]
The
8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness is a book written by Stephen R. Covey, published in 2004. It is an upgrade of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, first published in 1989. As such,
it clarifies and reinforces Covey's earlier declaration that "Interdependence is a higher value than independence." The eighth
habit is "Find your voice and inspire others to find theirs." Voice
is Covey's code for "unique personal significance." Those who inspire
others to find theirs are the leaders needed now and for the future, according
to Covey. The central idea of the book is the need for steady recovery and
application of the whole person paradigm, which holds that persons have four
intelligences - physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. Denial of any
of them reduces persons to things, inviting many problems. The industrial age is assumed to have been a period dependent on such
denial. Covey believed the information age and a foreseen "Age of Wisdom" requires
"whole" people (in whole jobs). The book talks of "5 Cancerous
Behaviors" that inhibit people's greatness:
·
Complaining
People
can discover their voice because of the three gifts everyone is born with:
·
The
freedom to choose
·
The
natural laws or principles – those that dictate the consequences of behavior.
Positive consequences come from fairness, kindness, respect, honesty,
integrity, service and contribution
·
The
four intelligences – mental, physical, emotional and spiritual. Covey talks
about great achievers expressing their voice through the use of their
intelligences.
Achievers
for example
1.
develop
their mental energy into vision
2.
develop
their physical energy into discipline
3.
develop
their emotional energy into passion
4. develop their spiritual energy into conscience – their inward moral sense of what is right and wrong and their drive towards meaning and contribution.
ON KEEPING THE LORD'S DAY HOLY[3]
CHAPTER I
DIES DOMINI
The Celebration of the Creator's
Work
"Shabbat": the
Creator's joyful rest
12. In the Creator's plan, there is
both a distinction and a close link between the order of creation and the order
of salvation. This is emphasized in the Old Testament, when it links the "shabbat"
commandment not only with God's mysterious "rest" after the days of
creation (cf. Ex 20:8-11), but also with the salvation which he offers
to Israel in the liberation from the slavery of Egypt (cf. Dt
5:12-15). The God who rests on the seventh day, rejoicing in his creation, is
the same God who reveals his glory in liberating his children from Pharaoh's
oppression. Adopting an image dear to the Prophets, one could say that in both
cases God reveals himself as the bridegroom before the bride (cf. Hos
2:16-24; Jer 2:2; Is 54:4-8).
As certain elements of the same Jewish
tradition suggest, to reach the heart of the "shabbat", of God's
"rest", we need to recognize in both the Old and the New Testament
the nuptial intensity which marks the relationship between God and his people.
Hosea, for instance, puts it thus in this marvelous passage: "I will make
for you a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the
air, and the creeping things of the ground; and I will abolish the bow, the
sword, and war from the land; and I will make you lie down in safety. And I
will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you to me in righteousness and
in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in
faithfulness; and you shall know the Lord" (2:18-20).
Second Sunday of Advent
The voices of Isaiah and John the
Baptist tell us to prepare.
“As the journey of Advent
continues, as we prepare to celebrate the nativity of Christ, John the
Baptist's calls us to conversion and sounds out in our communities. It is a
pressing invitation to open our hearts and to welcome the Son of God Who comes
among us to make divine judgement manifest. The Father, writes St. John the
Evangelist, does not judge anyone, but has entrusted the power of judgement to
the Son, because He is the Son of man. “And it is today, in the present, that
we decide our future destiny. It is with our concrete everyday behavior in this
life that we determine our eternal fate. At the end of our days on earth, at
the moment of death, we will be evaluated on the basis of our likeness or
otherwise to the Baby Who is about to be born in the poor grotto of Bethlehem,
because He is the measure God has given humanity. “Through the Gospel John the
Baptist continues to speak down the centuries to each generation. His
hard-clear words bring health to us, the men and women of this day in which
even the experience and perception of Christmas often, unfortunately, reflects
materialist attitudes. The 'voice' of the great prophet asks us to prepare the
way for the coming Lord in the deserts of today, internal and external deserts,
thirsting for the water of life which is Christ.” — Benedict XVI[4]
Goffine’s
Devout Instructions, 1896.
HAVING taught us on the first
Sunday of Advent to sigh with the prophets for the redemption through Christ,
the Church on this day reminds us, in the holy sacrifice of the Mass, of the
joyful promises of God for the salvation of the gentiles, and of Jesus Christ s
actual coming, in order to quicken our desire for it, and to produce in us an
alacrity in making ready our hearts by penance and love.
For this reason, she says in the
Introit of the Mass: “People of Sion, behold the Lord shall come to save the nations,
and the Lord shall make the glory of His voice to be heard in the joy of your
heart.” “Give ear, O Thou that rulest Israel: Thou that leadest Joseph like a
sheep.”
Prayer.
Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make
ready the ways of Thine only begotten Son, that by His coming we may be worthy
to serve Thee with purified minds.
EPISTLE. Rom. xv. 4-13.
Brethren: What things so ever were
written, were written for our learning: that through patience and the comfort
of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now the God of patience and of comfort
grant you to be of one mind one towards another, according to Jesus Christ:
that with one mind, and with one mouth, you may glorify God and the Father of
Our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive one another, as Christ also hath
received you unto the honor of God. For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of
the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the
fathers. But that the gentiles are to glorify God for His mercy, as it is
written: Therefore, will I confess to Thee, O Lord, among the gentiles, and
will sing to Thy name. And again, He saith: Rejoice, ye gentiles, with His
people. And again: Praise the Lord, all ye gentiles; and magnify Him, all ye
peoples. And again, Isaias saith: There shall be a root of Jesse; and He that
shall rise up to rule the gentiles, in Him the gentiles shall hope. Now the God
of hope fill you all with joy and peace in believing that you may abound in
hope, and in the power of the Holy Ghost.
What are we to learn by this
epistle?
To be grateful to God for having
called us, by His grace, to the true faith, and for having received us into the
bosom of His holy Church. Again, we are taught that by envy, discord, pride,
and hatred we lose our salvation. Finally, St. Paul refers us to the Scriptures
for instruction.
Why do the Holy Scriptures profit
us?
1. They teach, correct,
and instruct us in justice, that we may serve God faithfully, and be ever ready
for good works.
2. They sustain our
patience in suffering, and our hope of eternal life, by many promises, and by
the example of Jesus Christ and His saints.
Why is God called the God of
patience, comfort, and hope?
1. Because He looks
with patience and long-suffering upon our sinful lives.
2. Because He gives us
grace to carry our cross with patience and joy, and removes our despair by
spiritual consolation.
3. Because He gives us
hope that after this life, we shall possess Him, the object of our desire.
Aspiration.
O
God of patience, comfort, and hope fill our hearts with joy and peace, and
grant that we may become perfect in all good works by faith, hope, and charity,
and that we may attain the promised salvation.
GOSPEL.
Matt. xi. 2-10.
At that time: When John
had heard in prison the works of Christ, sending two of his disciples, he said
to Him: Art Thou He that art to come, or look we for another? And Jesus making
answer said to them: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. The
blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise
again, the poor have the Gospel preached to them: And blessed is he that shall
not be scandalized in Me. And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to
the multitudes concerning John: What went you out into the desert to see? a
reed shaken with the wind? But what went you out to see? a man clothed in soft
garments? Behold, they that are clothed in soft garments are in the houses of
kings. But what went you out to see? a prophet? Yea, I tell you, and more than
a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: Behold I send My angel before
Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee.
Why was St. John cast into prison?
Because he rebuked King Herod, who
was living in adultery with the wife of his stepbrother. This teaches us that
we should not be deterred from our duty, though great suffering and misfortune
should thereby befall us. Is it not nobler and more profitable to our salvation
to be a martyr for truth, as St. John was, rather than to gain favor with the
world by timidly looking on, or by deceitful flattery?
Why did St. John send his disciples
to Jesus?
St. John sent his disciples to
Christ so that they, too, might be convinced that He was the Messiah.
Superiors and parents should learn
from this to see that their dependents and children are well instructed in the
faith.
Why did Christ merely say to the
disciples of St. John: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen: the
blind see, the lame walk?
Because they ought to have been
convinced from the miracles He wrought, which were the fulfilment of the
prophecies, that He was the promised messiah.
What was the object of the
question, “What went you out to see?” which Our Savior asked?
1. To praise the
constancy of St. John, who was not to be deterred from exercising his sacred
functions either by the commands of Herod or through fear of imprisonment and
death.
2. To approve the
austere life of St. John, that we should thereby be encouraged to crucify the
flesh and to do penance.
Why did Our Savior say that St.
John was more than a prophet?
Because he was destined to see the
messiah, to preach to men, and declare Him to be the Savior of the world. And
as he was a messenger of God, to announce the coming of Christ and prepare His
way, he was called an angel (Malachi. iii. T).
Why did Jesus add, “Blessed is he
that shall not be scandalized in Me”?
On account of those who would be
scandalized, at His humility,
His poverty, His ignominious suffering and death upon the cross, and who would,
accordingly, despise and reject Him; although the more He humbled Himself for
them the more they ought rather to love and honor Him.
Why does the Church set before us
this gospel?
In order that we, like the
disciples of St. John, may, by His works, recognize Jesus as our Lord and
Savior, and that we may make ourselves worthy of the grace of redemption by
doing penance earnestly and firmly, thus preparing the way of the Lord in our
hearts.
Consolation
in Adversities and Afflictions
What
can and should console us in adversity?
1. A firm belief that
everything is ordered by God’s wise providence, and that no evil can befall us
except by His permission, who never allows us to suffer more than is for our
good.
2. That if we call upon
Him in adversity God will help us, whenever it is expedient for our salvation.
Thus, to encourage us He says, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble, I will
deliver thee” (Ps. xlix. 15); and, “If God be for us, who is against us?” (Rom.
viii. 31); and “Can a woman forget her infant so as not to have pity on the son
of her womb? and if she should forget, yet will not I forget thee: behold, I
have graven thee in My hands” (Isaias xlix. 15, 16).
3. That it is useless
to resist Divine Providence, for all who have done so have been filled with
shame and ignominy, “Who hath resisted Him and hath had peace?” (Job ix. 4.)
4. That our sufferings
when borne with patience and submission lose their sharpness and bring us merit
and reward. “For that which is at present momentary and light of our
tribulation, worketh for us, above measure exceedingly, an eternal weight of
glory” (n. Cor. iv.17).
Feast of St. Barbara [5]
Barbara (from Nicomedia)
was the daughter of a pagan noble who worshipped false gods. Because of her
striking beauty, her father enclosed her in a tower to hide her from the snares
of men. Barbara vowed virginity, and during an absence of her father had a third
window added to her quarters in honor of the Blessed Trinity; at the same time,
she also adorned her bath with the sign of the holy Cross. Upon his return her
father was so angered over these changes that a miracle was needed to save her
life. She was presented before the magistrate, subjected to much torturing, and
finally her own father wielded the sword that severed her head. Immediately
God's vengeance struck him dead. The holy virgin is highly honored both in the
East and the West as patroness of artillery men and of miners. She is
especially invoked for preservation from sudden death. She is one of the
"Fourteen Holy Helpers."
In the past,
the following prayer to St. Barbara was often recited:
Saint Barbara, thou noble bride,
To thee my body I confide
As well in life as at life's end.
Come, aid me when I breathe my last,
That I may, ere here all is past,
Receive the Blessed Sacrament!
Barbara Branches
St. Barbara, one of the Fourteen Holy
Helpers, is the patron saint of artillerymen, miners, and a happy death. Though
her feast on December 4 obviously belongs to the cycle of saints and not to the
temporal cycle of Advent, there is a custom observed in her honor that ties
into the meaning of the Advent season. A Barbara branch is the
name given to a twig that is broken from a fruit tree (especially cherry),
placed in a bowl of water, and kept in a warm, well-lit part of the house, such
as the kitchen. According to legend, if the Barbara branch blooms on or before
Christmas Day, good luck will come to the person whose branch it is. Aside from
this harmless superstition, Barbara branches are reminiscent of the image from
Isaiah of Christ as a Flower from the root of Jesse (Is. 11.2; the
Epistle for Advent Ember Friday); they can thus be instructive in teaching
children the meaning of Advent and Christmas. They are also used as the Saint's
tribute to the Christ Child in the manger, lovingly placed in the crèche
when they have blossomed.
Things to Do
·
Celebrating for the Feast of St.
Barbara.
See also Painting Angels, Saints and Their
Symbols for
a description of St. Barbara's symbols.
·
Have a St. Barbara's Party, Syrian Style.
·
Further reading:
-
Story of St. Barbara for Children
-
Encyclopedia of Catholic Saints
-
Short Biography and History by Father Weiser.
-
Read about the German custom of St. Barbara's Twig, where every
member of the family puts a small cherry or peach branch into water so that it
will blossom on Christmas. If you have a young lady in your home desiring
marriage, the custom of St. Barbara's Cherry Twigs will have St. Barbara pick
the right husband for young unmarried girls. An alternative idea to this custom
would be forcing Amaryllis or other bulbs to bloom for Christmas. Start the
bulbs today!
·
St. Barbara is the patron of artillerymen. Offer your rosary or
say a prayer for all our enlisted men and women who are in harm's way. This
page provides the Legend of St. Barbara
and the explanation why she is the patron of artillerymen. Read the Ballad
of St. Barbara by G. K. Chesterton.
·
Read about Barbórka, Miners Day, which is
celebrated in Poland and other European countries.
Jesse Tree[6]
Jesse
Tree Scriptures (The Symbols Are Only Suggestions)
December 1 Creation: Gen. 1:1-31; 2:1-4 Symbols: sun,
moon, stars, animals, earth
December 2 Adam and Eve: Gen. 2:7-9, 18-24 Symbols:
tree, man, woman
December 3 Fall of Man: Gen. 3:1-7 and 23-24 Symbols:
tree, serpent, apple with bite
December 4
Noah: Gen. 6:5-8, 13-22; 7:17, 23, 24; 8:1, 6-22 Symbols: ark,
animals, dove, rainbow
·
Today in honor of the
Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your
day to God. To honor God REST: no shopping after 6 pm Saturday till Monday.
Don’t forget the internet.
·
Unite in the work of the Porters
of St. Joseph by joining
them in fasting: Today's Fast: Increase of the faithful
·
Religion in the home: Preschool for December
·
Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Make reparations to the Holy Face
·
Rosary
[1] The Collegeville Bible
Commentary
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