December 6, 2015
Gospel: Lk 3:1-6
In the fifteenth year
of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and
Herod was tetrarch
(1) of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of
Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, during the high
priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of
Zechariah in the desert. John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming
a baptism of repentance
(2) for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the
words of the prophet Isaiah: A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare
the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and
every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made
straight, and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of
God (3).”
(http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/120615.cfm)
The difficult words
(1) A tetrarch is a prince.
(2) John calls the people to repentance, which means to be sorry for
one's sins, to have a change of heart, and to turn toward God.
(3) All men are called to see the salvation of God, which means to be saved, to
live for ever with God.
This week’s spotlight
Purple/Violet
Maybe you have noticed that since last I week (the
first week of Advent) the priest's clothes (vestments) have changed color. The
alb is still white, but his stole and chasuble are now violet/purple. Violet
has a special meaning. It is the color of waiting, preparation, and conversion.
Because we are waiting for Christ's birth, the priest's vestments will stay
purple until Christmas.
John the Baptist
John was the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, and a
relative of Jesus. He was the last prophet, the one who announced coming of the
Messiah. He preached a message of repentance, encouraging people to turn away
from sin. He also baptized people in the Jordan River. This is why he is known
as John the Baptist. He is also sometimes called the Precursor (“the one who
comes before"). King Herod put John in prison and eventually beheaded him.
Reflection
Are you ready?
Today’s Gospel mentions two very powerful and
important men,Tiberius Caesar and Pontius Pilate.
The Gospel also mentions a very humble and simple man,
John the Baptist. Tiberius and Pilate probably never heard of John, but John’s
mission was one of the most important in all of history. God chose John to be
the messenger who would prepare the way for the Messiah by challenging people
to stop sinning and rid themselves of the bad habits in their lives. Jesus
would later say that there was no man born of woman greater than John, God
often chooses those who are little to do great things. Greatness isn't always
what the world considers important. It is in the little acts of love we do for
God each day. During Advent, we remember that God has a mission for each of us.
In order to carry out that mission, we need to listen to John’s words and
prepare our own hearts for Jesus' coming. Are you ready? Will you let God speak
to you as he spoke to John the Baptist?
Discussion questions
1. What does the purple vestment of the priest mean?
2. Who is John?
3. Why did people call him “John the Baptist”?
4. What is John’s mission? Who gave him that mission?
5. What did John call people to do?
6. What are your choices to prepare the way for the Lord to come?
Praying after Communion
After
receiving Holy Communion,
you can say this prayer silently to yourself. If you
have not yet
received your First Communion, you can still say this prayer because of your desire to
receive Jesus.
Father, through Jesus, in
communion with the whole Church, I thank you for coming into my heart. May this
communion in his body and blood help me to prepare the way of the Lord. Help me
to be grateful for the gift of friendship, and generous in sharing myself with
others.
Crossword Puzzle
http://usccb.org/bible/readings-audio.cfm
