Read today’s readings.
By Marcia Shadle Cusic
The readings for today, Thursday, of the First Week of Advent call us to be faithful to the Scripture messages. We are also reminded to be confident in our trust in God. “A strong city have we; he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us.” We are also reminded to keep our feet firmly planted in our trust and appreciation of how our faith and trust in God can guide us, living our lives appreciating the guidance that the Scripture messages give us.
I am reminded of the notion of “rightful pride” in reading, “He humbles those in high places, and the lofty city he brings down.” A reminder to all of us, that just when you think “you’ve got it all figured out ” and “are in charge” our lives may seem, all of a sudden, to be falling apart. We need to be reminded and live our lives remembering that God is our partner in success and in disappointment, in opportunity and in loss. And remain humbled in all that we experience in our lives. “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.” Yes, we need to make decisions, and respond to situations but maybe we need to take a step back and consider how the Scripture messages call us to respond.
From Creighton University
Catholic News Service is the official news agency of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Read their news briefs for Dec. 4.
Read today’s readings from the USCCB
By Sam Pierre
Advent is a time that I often catch myself dreaming of home. The celebration of a recently married couple inviting a new member into their family always makes my heart yearn for my own family. It truly is a time when I simply want to shut myself in with those who mean the most to me and smile contentedly about how much love surrounds me. And yet, today’s first reading reminds me of how much more overwhelming the thought is of living in the house of the Lord. Our Psalm points out a similar theme in that, “I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come.” We have reason to eagerly await our invitation into Heaven: rich foods, choice wines…I mean, Jesus throws a heck of a Christmas party! The Apostles, popes, archangels, the Blessed Virgin Mary; it’s a pretty great guest list to be on!
Meditating on the joy of living in the house of the Lord puts my heart in a beautiful state of peace and excited anticipation. However, sometimes I get homesick for Heaven and ignore the reality in which I live now. That love which we anticipate enjoying fully in Eternity is the same love which we must share with God’s people on earth.
Someone had to give up his/her dinner in order for Jesus to perform his miracle in today’s Gospel reading. Sure, Jesus did the heavy lifting when it came to multiplying the seven loaves and a few fish, but someone donated that food. Similarly, Jesus only performed the miracle, he did not walk around physically feeding the crowd, other hands served in that way. Jesus “needed” the service of those around him in order to fully bless the crowd that day.
In what ways is God calling each of us to be his hands and feet? Significant tithing is a new phenomenon for me. For the first time in my life, I am making a real paycheck and I am recognizing the call to utilize a portion in service to God. And yet, as a severely indebted medical resident, my financial resources are limited. But how many people in today’s Gospel actually served Jesus financially? Only a few. The vast majority served by organizing, spreading the food and cleaning up the leftovers. Could I donate some of my time? Might I carry some granola bars and a few inexpensive winter hats to keep in my car to offer to the homeless guy I pass on my way to the hospital each morning? How about simply going out of my way to offer a word of encouragement to a downtrodden neighbor? In spite of my newfound ability to donate financially, the Gospel is calling me to a well-rounded service approach.
Together let us meditate on the anticipated joy of our invitation into Jesus’ Heavenly party. Then let’s apply the love we derive from that excitement to acting as our Lord’s instruments of service in a multitude of ways during this giving season.
From Creighton University
Catholic News Service is the official news agency of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Read their News Briefs for today.
This morning, 3 December, Pope Francis met with the Council of Cardinals, the group of eight cardinals assisting in the governance of the universal Church and examining a revision of the Apostolic Constitution Pastor bonus on the Roman Curia. Fr Federico Lombardi, Director of the Holy See Press Office, announced this in a briefing with journalists to explain the second session of the Cardinal’s meetings which will be taking place at the Vatican until Thursday, 5 December. The cardinals’ first session was held from 1 to 3 October. On the day’s agenda was “a thorough examination of the Roman Curia, which began with a reflection on the dicasteries”, starting with the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Fr Lombardi pointed out that “it will be a matter of readjusting: we want to go in depth. This is not a marginal improvement, but a substantial revision” of Pastor bonus in order to reach a new Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia. After having concelebrated at morning Mass with the Pope in the Chapel of Santa Marta, the small group, along with their secretary Bishop Marcello Semeraro, met in a room near the chapel. The agenda includes morning sessions from 9 am to 12:30 pm and from 4 to 7 pm. Fr Lombardi said that the tasks have been divided among the Cardinals based on personal experience, but the responsibility of making decisions is considered to be common and shared. Since the October session, the eight cardinals have collected extensive documentation and gathered other points of view, participating in meetings of their bishops’ conferences.
L’Osservatore Romano
Catholic News Service is the official news agency of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Read their News Briefs for Monday, Dec. 2
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In his clearest public reference as pope to the subject of clerical sex abuse, Pope Francis urged bishops to support abuse victims while also reaching out to priests who have “fallen short of their commitments.”
Read more from Catholic News Service
(Vatican Radio) Preparing for Christmas through prayer, charity and exhaltation. With this hope, Pope Francis called on the faithful Monday to open their hearts and allow themselves to encounter the Lord who renews all. Read more.
Today, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Francis received in audience His Excellency Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of the State of Israel, who subsequently went on to meet with Secretary of State Archbishop Pietro Parolin, accompanied by the Under-Secretary for Relations with States, Msgr. Antoine Camilleri. During the colloquial discussions, attention was focused on the complex political and social situation in the Middle East, with particular reference to the reinstatement of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, expressing hope that a just and lasting solution respecting the rights of both Parties may be reached as soon as possible. Aside from indicating the Holy Father’s plans for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, various questions were considered regarding the relations between the State Authorities and the local Catholic communities, as well as between the State of Israel and the Holy See, in the hope that the Agreement which has been in preparation for some time may be concluded forthwith.
Vatican Press Office
THE CONCHO PADRE POST 
Tuesday of the First Week in Advent – Reflections
Today we also celebrate the Memorial of St. Francis Xavier, priest and missionary
Read today’s readings from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops
Here we are, on the second weekday of Advent, and therefore on the second weekday of the new Liturgical year, 2013-2014. This third day of Advent builds wonderfully on the visions of the readings for the First Sunday and Monday of Advent, visions of universal peace and restoration, beginning with the restoration of the tribes of Israel, then reaching out to all the nations of the world.
Like most of the readings during this special season of Advent, today’s texts flow together to tell a single story. They speak to the deepest of human desires for rescue, healing, restoration, and the peace that embodies all that is meant by the Hebrew word shalom—the full flourishing of the people of God in covenant union with their Creator and Redeemer.
Isaiah speaks of a future son of David, who will rule with justice, with a special concern for the poor. The images that the prophet uses to illustrate the ultimate shalom of this king’s rule are expressed with an exuberance that can stretch our credulity. The lamb will offer hospitality to the wolf (which sounds like the beginning of an Aesop fable that will end up poorly for the lamb). The carnivorous lion will go vegetarian to dine with the ox. The infant will play without harm near the cobra’s den. These images evoke a peace that is beyond what we can reasonably expect either from nature or from the greatest of human efforts. And that is exactly the point: such peace requires “outside help”—the Spirit of the Lord. That is why Isaiah climaxes his vision, twice, with references to the “fear” and “knowledge of the Lord.” Only with human cooperation with the source of all creation and redemption will full shalom come about. Only when we behave as creatures of a loving God do we experience the beginnings of the fulfillment of the prophet’s visions.
Psalm 72 elaborates Isaiah’s picture of the son of David who will rule over such a peace. Again, the onset of peace is linked with special attention to justice for the poor.
Finally, four verses from the Gospel of Luke proclaim how the fulfillment of the promises of the prophet and the psalmist took a quantum leap in the revelation of God in the person of Jesus Messiah. Those of us who have come to know the love and power of God in the humanity of Jesus have begun to see what the world had been looking for.
Christ deniers will continue to taunt Christians with the question: “If Jesus is the Messiah, where is the peace and justice that is supposed to accompany the messianic age?” In faith and hope, we answer that the promises have only BEGUN to be fulfilled; we have experienced that beginning, and we continue to pray, as Jesus taught us, “Thy kingdom come.” The point of Advent, and the season’s reading, is to help us face up to the remaining gap between promise and fulfillment and to nurture the hope that the peace we still hunger for lies in the further manifestation of our risen Lord. The spectacular missionary work of St. Francis Xavier, whose feast we celebrate today, was energized by this kind of faith and hope. The promised “outside help” depends on our cooperation with our Creator and our acknowledgment that we can’t do this on our own small strength. Lord Jesus, come!
By Father D. Hamm, SJ
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From Creighton University
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