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.
Fun Fact:
An easy way to remember the order of the 1st three Kings of Israel is “S-D-S.” Or Saul-David-Solomon.
This mnemonic comes in handy on days like this, when King David is in the readings. Only under these 3 kings (hey wait, there’s a Christmas song about that!) was there peace in Israel.
After King Solomon, the kingdom divided. It did not re-unite until Christ brought his promise of eternal salvation to us by dying and rising.
Question:
What kind of house are you building for the Lord? He comes to us soon, born of a virgin and into a manger. We contemplate “house” vs. “home” today, starting with King David.
2 SM 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14A, 16
(The First Reading is Old Testament and links to the Gospel.)
We are in the 2nd book of Samuel today – chapter 7. In chapter 1, David is crowned king at age 30 and reigns for 40 years. Today we hear David’s conversation with the prophet Nathan.
David wants to build a HOUSE for God, whose presence up until now has been kept in a TENT (since the days of Moses). It is called the ARK OF THE COVENANT. David feels bad, you might say, that he lives in a nicer place than God.
When you listen to this reading you want to put emphasis on the word “I” that Nathan speaks. God wants to show David that it is GOD who has provided all the bounty and goodness in David’s life, not David. David learns to rely more on God’s guiding hand, and sees God’s plan for the future: GOD will build a house for David – not the other way around.
God will build a house for all believers for eternity – through his kingdom.
Why is this reading chosen today? Perhaps because of its link to the gospel. Mary was chosen BY GOD to be the new ARK – a HOUSE for God – the womb for Jesus.
It is God who acts and Mary who responds. In this reading, David wanted to act and he wanted God to receive. David wanted control of the situation (even though it was a nice gesture). But Mary shows us the right behavioral move, if you will. Let God act. We are the ones to receive.
When King David was settled in his palace,
and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,
he said to Nathan the prophet,
“Here I am living in a house of cedar,
while the ark of God dwells in a tent!”
Nathan answered the king,
“Go, do whatever you have in mind,
for the LORD is with you.”
But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
“Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD:
Should you build me a house to dwell in?’“
“‘It was I who took you from the pasture
and from the care of the flock
to be commander of my people Israel.
I have been with you wherever you went,
and I have destroyed all your enemies before you.
And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,
since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.
I will give you rest from all your enemies.
The LORD also reveals to you
that he will establish a house for you.
And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his kingdom firm.
I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever.’”
Psalm 89:For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
(The Psalm is a “response” to what we heard in the 1st Reading)
Listen here as God tell us – tells David – how HE will act and that His kingdom will remain firm:
“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.”
ROM 16:25-27
(The Second Reading is usually one of Paul’s letters. It highlights the time after Christ’s death and resurrection; the building up of the Church)
Today we have the last 3 verses of Paul’s (very long) letter to the Romans. It is a closing prayer, really – one that highlights the fact that “the revelation of the mystery” has been “kept secret for long ages” – and to God be glory and praise for ever, Amen!
Today, it seems fitting as we close Advent, that we hear from the close of this important letter from Paul, which is all about the Gospel of Christ and it being the path to salvation for all mankind. Paul wrote it to those in Rome – whom he’d not yet met – as a means of introducing himself.
I feel like during Advent we’re allowed to sit and wait for Jesus to be laid in the manger, imagining what it might have been like to live in those days before He was born.
No one had met him yet.
No one knew what was to come.
A fitting reading then, as we await the celebration of his birth in just a matter of days. Paul would go on to those living in Rome to introduce Christ to those there who had never met him.
Who in your life needs to be introduced to Jesus?
How can you usher Him in this Christmas season?
Brothers and sisters:
To him who can strengthen you,
according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ,
according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages
but now manifested through the prophetic writings and,
according to the command of the eternal God,
made known to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith,
to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ
be glory forever and ever.
Amen.
LK 1:26-38
(The Gospel is the highest point of the liturgy. It’s why we stand. We are about to hear from and be instructed by Jesus Christ himself.)
Today we have Mary’s “FIAT” – not her car :), but her “YES” to God. Mary knew instinctively that God had great plans for her. Unlike David in our first reading, she listens to the angel Gabriel without interruption.
Like any good communicator, she asks a “clarifying question,” (but how can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”). Then God reveals himself to her:
SHE will be the HOUSE of the Lord.
SHE will be the NEW ARK for our God.
SHE will be the first HOME for baby Jesus.
SHE becomes the new Eve.
The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
“Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.
Have a wonderful 4th Sunday of Advent! May your HOMES be ready for the coming of Christ our Savior. And may you enjoy abundantly the celebrations with your loved ones whom you’ve invited into your homes!
Banquet of the Word 