"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."[John 6:68]
First Sunday of Advent - Year C
Saints of the day:
St. Saturninus, Bishop and Martyr († 250)
One day a great multitude was gathered by an altar, where a bull stood ready for the sacrifice. A man in the crowd pointed out Saturninus, who was passing by, and the people would have forced him to idolatry; but the holy bishop answered: "I know but one God, and to Him I will offer the sacrifice of praise. How can I fear gods who, as you say, are afraid of me?" On this he was fastened to the bull, which was driven down the capitol. The brains of the Saint were scattered on the steps. His mangled body was taken up and buried by two devout women.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
First Sunday of Advent - Year C
The Book of Jeremiah 33:14 “Here, the days are coming,” says Adonai, “when I will fulfill this good promise which I have proclaimed for the house of Isra’el and the house of Y’hudah.
SAINT SATURNINUS
Bishop and Martyr
(† 250)
Saturninus went from Rome, by direction of Pope Fabian, about the year 245, to preach the faith in Gaul. He fixed his episcopal see at Toulouse, and thus became the first Christian bishop of that city. There were but few Christians in the place. However, their number grew fast after the coming of the Saint; and his power was felt by the spirits of evil, who received the worship of the heathen. His power was felt the more because he had to pass daily through the capitol, the high place of the heathen worship, on the way to his own church.Bishop and Martyr
(† 250)
One day a great multitude was gathered by an altar, where a bull stood ready for the sacrifice. A man in the crowd pointed out Saturninus, who was passing by, and the people would have forced him to idolatry; but the holy bishop answered: "I know but one God, and to Him I will offer the sacrifice of praise. How can I fear gods who, as you say, are afraid of me?" On this he was fastened to the bull, which was driven down the capitol. The brains of the Saint were scattered on the steps. His mangled body was taken up and buried by two devout women.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
First Sunday of Advent - Year C
The Book of Jeremiah 33:14 “Here, the days are coming,” says Adonai, “when I will fulfill this good promise which I have proclaimed for the house of Isra’el and the house of Y’hudah.
15 When those days come, at that time,
I will cause to spring up for David
a Branch of Righteousness.
He will do what is just and right in the land.
16 When those days come, Y’hudah will be saved,
Yerushalayim will live in safety,
and the name given to her will be
Adonai Tzidkenu [Adonai our Righteousness].”
Psalm 25:4 Make me know your ways, Adonai,
teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth, and teach me;
for you are the God who saves me,
my hope is in you all day long.
8 Adonai is good, and he is fair;
this is why he teaches sinners the way [to live],
9 leads the humble to do what is right
and teaches the humble [to live] his way.
10 All Adonai’s paths are grace and truth
to those who keep his covenant and instructions.
14 Adonai relates intimately with those who fear him;
he makes them know his covenant.
The First Book to the Thessalonians 3:12 And as for you, may the Lord make you increase and overflow in love toward each other, indeed, toward everyone, just as we do toward you; 13 so that he may give you the inner strength to be blameless, by reason of your holiness, when you stand before God our Father at the coming of our Lord Yeshua with all his angels.
4:1 Therefore, brothers, just as you learned from us how you had to live in order to please God, and just as you are living this way now, we ask you — indeed, united with the Lord Yeshua, we urge you — to keep doing so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you on the authority of the Lord Yeshua.
The Holy Gospel of Yeshua the Messiah according to Saint Luke 21:25 “There will appear signs in the sun, moon and stars; and on earth, nations will be in anxiety and bewilderment at the sound and surge of the sea, 26 as people faint with fear at the prospect of what is overtaking the world; for the powers in heaven will be shaken.[Luke 21:26 Haggai 2:6, 21] 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with tremendous power and glory.[Luke 21:27 Daniel 7:13–14] 28 When these things start to happen, stand up and hold your heads high; because you are about to be liberated!”
34 “But keep watch on yourselves, or your hearts will become dulled by carousing, drunkenness and the worries of everyday living, and that Day will be sprung upon you suddenly like a trap! 35 For it will close in on everyone, no matter where they live, throughout the whole world. 36 Stay alert, always praying that you will have the strength to escape all the things that will happen and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man.”
First Sunday of Advent - Year C
Commentary of the day:
Saint Anthony of Padua (c.1195-1231), Franciscan, Doctor of the Church
Sermons for Sundays and Feastdays, 3rd Sunday in Advent
The two comings of the Lord
Saint Anthony of Padua (c.1195-1231), Franciscan, Doctor of the Church
Sermons for Sundays and Feastdays, 3rd Sunday in Advent
“Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say: Rejoice !” (Phil 4,4). A double joy motivated by a double blessing: the first and the second coming. We should rejoice because, at his first coming, the Lord brought riches and glory to us. We should rejoice again because, at his second coming, he will give us “length of days forever and ever” (Ps 20[21],5). As the Book of Proverbs says: “Long life is in her right hand, in her left are riches and honor” (Ps 20[21],5). The left hand is the first coming with its splendid riches: humility and poverty, patience and obedience. The right hand is the second coming with eternal life.
Isaiah speaks about the first coming in these words: “Awake, awake! Put on strength, O arm of the Lord! Awake as in the days of old, in ages long ago. Was it not you who crushed Rahab, you who pierced the dragon? Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over?” (51,9-10). The arm of the Lord is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, through whom and in whom God created all things… O arm of the Lord, O Son of god, awake! Come to us from the Father’s glory, assuming our flesh. Clothe yourself with the strength of divinity to do battle against the “prince of this world” (Jn 12,31) and “to cast out the strong one”, you who are “stronger than he” (Lk 11,21-22). Awake to redeem humankind as in days of old you delivered the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt... You dried up the Red Sea; what you did then you will do again…, as you made the way in the depths of hell for the redeemed to pass through.
Isaiah speaks about the first coming in these words: “Awake, awake! Put on strength, O arm of the Lord! Awake as in the days of old, in ages long ago. Was it not you who crushed Rahab, you who pierced the dragon? Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over?” (51,9-10). The arm of the Lord is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, through whom and in whom God created all things… O arm of the Lord, O Son of god, awake! Come to us from the Father’s glory, assuming our flesh. Clothe yourself with the strength of divinity to do battle against the “prince of this world” (Jn 12,31) and “to cast out the strong one”, you who are “stronger than he” (Lk 11,21-22). Awake to redeem humankind as in days of old you delivered the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt... You dried up the Red Sea; what you did then you will do again…, as you made the way in the depths of hell for the redeemed to pass through.
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