Wednesday, December 23, 2020

December 23

Year of Saint Joseph

Other saints: Saint John of Kanty (1473); The Ten Martyrs of Crete (250); Saint Servulus (590); Bd Hartmann, Bishop (1164); Saint Thorlac, Bishop (1133-1193); Bd Margaret of Savoy, Foundress (1464); Bd Nicholaus Factor (1520-1583); Saint Margaret d'Youville, Foundress (1701-1771)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 65:11-22

Mass: Mal 3:1-4, 23-24; Resp Ps 25; Lk 1:57-66

Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.

O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the hope of all nations and their Savior: 
come and save us, O Lord our God!
(Traditional O Antiphon)

As we count down the days to Christmas singing the last of the great "O" Antiphons, we continue our journey through the first chapter of Saint Luke's Gospel. We began this past Saturday with the angel's visit to Zechariah (Lk 1:5-25). The angel announced the good news that Zechariah's wife Elizabeth would bear a son, whose name would be John. It may be a good day to keep on with the narrative as proclaimed these days since last Saturday. Today we have Elizabeth giving birth to that son, and "John is his name" (Lk 1:63). This is John, the infant who leaped in Elizabeth's womb at the sound of Mary's greeting (Lk 1:41). This is John, the voice of one crying out in the desert, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths" (Lk 3:4). It is not too late to listen to John's voice and prepare the way of the Lord, to make straight His paths. In what one way will you prepare the way of the Lord today. O Emmanuel ... come and save us, O Lord our God! 

O Jesus, Wisdom, come.
O Jesus, Adonai, come.
O Jesus, Root of Jesse, come.
O Jesus, Key of David, come.
O Jesus, Rising Sun, come.
O Jesus, King of the Nations, come.
O Jesus, Emmanuel. come.

JOSEPH, DILIGENT PROTECTOR OF CHRIST,
PRAY FOR US.

© Gertrude Feick 2020

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