Welcome Back to Banquet of the Word!
Join us every week for background on this Sunday readings.
Our mission is simple: We want to help everyone in “pew-land” get more out of mass. Because it’s fun to feel smart about scripture.
Where are We Today?
We are in week 1 of Advent – happy new church year! Last year was Year A (Matthew); now we are in Year B. The vast majority of our gospels will be from Mark.
There is something cool about the fact that last Sunday we celebrated Jesus Christ as King of the Universe, and now we are circled back to ‘the beginning’ – back to waiting for him to arrive as a babe in a manger.
How long the people of God waited for Him to come. But indeed He did! Today is all about waiting and watching.
IS 63:16B-17, 19B; 64:2-7
(The first reading is Old Testament, it always links to the gospel.)
The first reading this week is Isaiah; we are at the tail end of this long and rich book. The 2nd half of Isaiah is called The Book of Consolation (the 1st half is the Book of Judgment).
Today we see a time in God’s relationship with his people where the lightbulb goes off – that is, the people finally (after generations go by) see they angered God. They finally want to recommit themselves to Him.
For some time now, after tiring of trying to get the people to turn back, God has been quiet, silent. Today we hear the people calling him and asking to return.
They now want to be clay and let Him be the potter (putty in His hands). The Israelites want to renew the covenant God made with their father in faith, Abraham.
They are like the prodigal son coming home.
You, LORD, are our father,
our redeemer you are named forever.
Why do you let us wander, O LORD, from your ways,
and harden our hearts so that we fear you not?
Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes of your heritage.
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
with the mountains quaking before you,
while you wrought awesome deeds we could not hope for,
such as they had not heard of from of old.
No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but you
doing such deeds for those who wait for him.
Would that you might meet us doing right,
that we were mindful of you in our ways!
Behold, you are angry, and we are sinful;
all of us have become like unclean people,
all our good deeds are like polluted rags;
we have all withered like leaves,
and our guilt carries us away like the wind.
There is none who calls upon your name,
who rouses himself to cling to you;
for you have hidden your face from us
and have delivered us up to our guilt.
Yet, O LORD, you are our father;
we are the clay and you the potter:
we are all the work of your hands.
Psalm 80: Lord Let us Turn to You, Let us See Your Face and We Shall Be Saved
(The Psalm is a “response” to what we heard in the 1st Reading)
The psalm today is the people’s prayer to God that he will take them back. “Lord let us turn to you, let us see your face and we shall be saved.” On Christmas Day we DO see his face and we ARE saved.
O shepherd of Israel, hearken,
from your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Rouse your power,
and come to save us.
Once again, O LORD of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see;
take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
1 COR 1:3-9
(The 2nd reading is usually from Paul’s letters. Speaks to how the early church was built after Christ’s death and resurrection).
These are the first few verses of Paul’s letter to the Church in Corinth – it is basically the greeting. Paul reminds the people God is ever faithful! This is like the “answer” to the Israelites in the first reading when they ask, God, can we come back? Can we return and RENEW the covenant?
Paul tells them Yes!!!
Do you feel you cannot return to God for some reason? Remember God’s infinite mercy. Go to him and tell Him you regret the decisions you have made. He wants you to return to full communion with Him! It is never too late! Recommit to God this Advent Season. Return to Him in the New Church Year.
Brothers and sisters:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always on your account
for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus,
that in him you were enriched in every way,
with all discourse and all knowledge,
as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you,
so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift
as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He will keep you firm to the end,
irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is faithful,
and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Mark 13:33-37
(The Gospel is the highest point of the Liturgy of the Word. That’s why we stand.
We are about to hear from and be instructed by Christ Himself.)
The gospel today is all about watching. We must watch! We know not the hour nor the day God will call us home.
We do not know when He will come again. Jesus tells us to stay awake, be ready, watch!
Both for the first coming (Jesus coming in the flesh, as a baby at Christmas) AND for the second coming.
Jesus is coming to us at Christmas. Are we ready? How are we preparing? How are watching?
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be watchful! Be alert!
You do not know when the time will come.
It is like a man traveling abroad.
He leaves home and places his servants in charge,
each with his own work,
and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch.
Watch, therefore;
you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming,
whether in the evening, or at midnight,
or at cockcrow, or in the morning.
May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.
What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”
Banquet of the Word 