DAILY- HOMILY

December 1, 2015 TUESDAY, 1st Week of Advent 

Sts. Edmund Campion and 

Robert Southwell, Priests and Martyrs;

Bl.  Roger Filcock and Robert Middleton, 

Priests and Martyrs   

Memorial, Red            

Is 11:1 – 10 / Lk 10:21 - 24    

[Sts, Edmund Campion (1540 – 1581) and Robert Southwell (1561-1595), Jesuit priests, were among the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales of the 16th and 17th centuries canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970.]

[Bl. Robert Filcock (1570 – 1601) and Robert Middleton (1571 – 1601), Jesuit priests, were also martyrs of England.]

Reading: Is 11:1 – 10 

     From the stump of Jesse a shoot will come forth; from his roots a branch will grow and bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him – a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and power, a Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.

     Not by appearances will he judge, nor by what is said must he decide, but with justice he will judge the poor and with righteousness decide for the meek. Like a rod, his word will strike the oppressor, and the breath of his lips slay the wicked. Justice will be the girdle of his waist, truth the girdle of his loins.

     The wolf will dwell with the lamb, the leopard will rest beside the kid, the calf and the lion cub will feed together and a little child will lead them. Befriending each other, the cow and the bear will see their young ones lie down together. Like cattle, the lion will eat hay. By the cobra's den the infant will play.

The child will put his hand into the viper's lair.

     No one will harm or destroy over my holy mountain, for as water fills the sea the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. On that day the "Root of Jesse" will be raised as a signal for the nations. The people will come in search of him, thus making his dwelling place glorious.

Gospel: Lk 10:21 - 24    

     At that time, Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit and said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and made them known to the little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. I have been given all things by my Father; and no one knows the Father except the Son and he to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."

     Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said to them privately, "Fortunate are you to see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings would have liked to see what you see but did not, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

Reflection:

     A typical reading for Advent, the first reading from Isaiah speaks of the amazing peace the Messiah, "Root of Jesse," will bring: "The people will come in search of him, thus making his dwelling place glorious." (Is 11:10)

     In the Gospel reading Jesus calls his disciples fortunate "to see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings would have liked to see what you see but did not, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it." The disciples were privileged to know the Son and through him to also know the Father,

     In God's providence, Jesus has made himself and the Father known to the "little ones," his disciples who were simple people (fishermen and common folk) and not to "the wise and learned."

     By God's grace, may we also be privileged to know Jesus, now risen and in glory in his divinity and humanity at the right hand of the Father: we ask "for an intimate knowledge of our Lord, who has become man for me, that I may love him more and follow Him more closely." (St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises)

OTHER INTENTIONS:

For the special intentions of Rosario.

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

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