The
promise made by the Lord was finally fulfilled with the birth
of Jesus… God would set his people free by no less than his
own Son. Was the promise finally fulfilled? It was the beginning
of the fulfillment. Everything was there to make it real and
effective, except the people who would have to put it into
practice. For God created us free, and that means he relies
on us, on our acceptance and cooperation, on our love. We
have to let God make his peace and love come true among us.
With and through Jesus. That’s why he came among us as one
of us. Here I am, human like you. Look at me and see how it
is to be done. Do it with me. I am with you and stay with
you to give you the strength. Come, let’s begin. Now.
Opening
Prayer
Lord,
loving and mighty God,
you fulfilled your promise to save us
when Jesus, your Son, became one of us.
We are no longer in the dark,
for you let your light shine on us.
Bring us your salvation now,
set us really free from our sins,
let us become fully human with Jesus
and go with him in your way of peace and love.
Let him be our strength,
our constant companion on the road,
that through him and growing in his humanity,
we may be your beloved sons and daughters.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Scripture
Readings
First
Reading: 2
S 7:1-16
When
the king had settled in his palace and Yahweh had rid him of all
his surrounding enemies, he said to Nathan the prophet, "Look,
I live in a house of cedar but the ark of God is housed in a tent."
Nathan replied, "Do as it seems fit to you for Yahweh is
with you."
But
that very night, Yahweh's word came to Nathan, "Go and tell
my servant David, this is what Yahweh says: Are you able to build
a house for me to live in?
Now
you will tell my servant David, this is what Yahweh of hosts says:
I took you from the pasture, from tending the sheep, to make you
commander of my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you
went, cutting down all your enemies before you. Now I will make
your name great as the name of the great ones on earth. I will
provide a place for my people Israel and plant them that they
may live there in peace. They shall no longer be harassed, nor
shall wicked men oppress them as be-fore. From the time when I
appointed judges over my people Israel it is only to you that
I have given rest from all your enemies. Yahweh also tells you
that he will build you a house.
When
the time comes for you to rest with your ancestors, I will raise
up your son after you, the one born of you and I will make his
reign secure.
I
will be a father to him and he shall be my son. If he does wrong,
I will punish him with the rod, as men do.
Your
house and your reign shall last forever before me, and your throne
shall be forever firm."
Responsorial
Psalm: Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29
R
For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
The
favors of the Lord I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, "My kindness is established forever";
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
"I
have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations."
R For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
"He
shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the rock, my savior.'
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm."
R For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Gospel
Reading:
Lk 1:67-79
Zechariah,
filled with holy spirit, sang this canticle,
"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has come and redeemed his people.
He
has raised up for us a victorious Savior
in the house of David his servant,
as he promised through his prophets of old,
salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of our foes.
He
has shown mercy to our fathers
and remembered his holy covenant,
the oath he swore to Abraham, our father,
to deliver us from the enemy,
that we might serve him fearlessly
as a holy and righteous people
all the days of our lives.
And
you, my child,
shall be called prophet of the Most High,
for you shall go before the Lord
to prepare the way for him
and enable his people to know of their salvation
when he comes to forgive their sins.
This
is the work of the mercy of our God,
who comes from on high as a rising sun
shining on those who live in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
and guiding our feet into the way of peace."
(Commentary)
–
For people who are hard and demanding, that God may make us
sensitive to others and compassionate, we pray:
–
For those who feel especially these days how lonely and fearful
they are, that their brothers and sisters in the Lord may
bring them support and warmth, we pray:
–
For people who feel how empty their lives are, that they may
find the Lord and learn from him how love and service can
enrich them, we pray:
Prayer
over the Gifts
Lord
God, our Father,
we join Jesus your Son in his feast meal
of the bread and wine of himself,
that we may become more and more like him
and live the way he lived.
Let a new era begin now;
let this food and drink make us free
to create peace among people,
to bring justice and love to our world,
and to walk together on the way
to your home of joy without end.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Prayer
after Communion
God,
our merciful Father,
we have heard the Good News of your Son
and we ask you to fulfill it in us today.
Do not allow us to be still afraid
of committing ourselves to your dream
of a new heaven and a new earth.
Let the Spirit of Jesus be alive in us,
that everywhere there may be light instead of the dark,
justice where there is discrimination and inhumanity,
love where there is hatred.
Let your Son live and stay with us,
now and till we safely reach your home,
for Jesus is our Lord for ever. Amen.
Blessing
Blessed
be the Lord our God who shows us his mercy and takes us up
into his covenant of love. All praise to him. You, and all
who are dear to you, receive the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Gospel
Commentary
(Tuesday)
"I
will sing forever of your love, O Lord." That is what Zechariah
does: wherever his canticle is heard, he sings to us about this
child whose birthday we honor. It's a song about being freed from
fear to serve God in holiness and goodness all our days. Jesus
is the rising sun, light in darkness. Darkness is our fear that
life is meaningless, that we just go round in circles heading
nowhere. But if even one person can be transformed then transformation
is possible. Mary, Elizabeth, Zechariah are still present to us
in the communion of saints. We can ask them to prepare us so that
Jesus' birth may touch us as it did them. If Jesus frees us we
can also free Jesus, becoming an entry point for him to act in
the world.
TOP
Taken
from Liturgy
Alive for Weekdays
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