READINGS ADVENT MONDAY 2

הַרְאֵנוּ יְהוָה חַסְדֶּךָ — וְיֶשְׁעֲךָ תִּתֶּן־לָנוּ

Even Years: Isaiah 24:1-18

1 הִנֵּה יְהוָה בּוֹקֵק הָאָרֶץ וּבוֹלְקָהּ וְעִוָּה פָנֶיהָ וְהֵפִיץ יֹשְׁבֶיהָ׃
2 וְהָיָה כָעָם כַּכֹּהֵן כַּעֶבֶד כַּאדֹנָיו כַּשִּׁפְחָה כַּגְּבִרְתָּהּ כַּקּוֹנֶה כַּמּוֹכֵר כַּמַּלְוֶה כַּלּוֶֹה כַּנֹּשֶׁה כַּאֲשֶׁר נֹשֶׁא בוֹ׃
3 הִבּוֹק תִּבּוֹק הָאָרֶץ וְהִבּוֹז תִּבּוֹז כִּי יְהוָה דִּבֶּר אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה׃
4 אָבְלָה נָבְלָה הָאָרֶץ אֻמְלְלָה נָבְלָה תֵּבֵל אֻמְלָלוּ מְרוֹם עַם־הָאָרֶץ׃
5 וְהָאָרֶץ חָנְפָה תַּחַת יֹשְׁבֶיהָ כִּי־עָבְרוּ תוֹרֹת חָלְפוּ חֹק הֵפֵרוּ בְּרִית עוֹלָם׃
6 עַל־כֵּן אָלָה אָכְלָה אֶרֶץ וַיֶּאְשְׁמוּ יֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ עַל־כֵּן חָרוּ יֹשְׁבֵי אֶרֶץ וְנִשְׁאַר אֱנוֹשׁ מִזְעָר׃
7 אָבַל תִּירוֹשׁ אֻמְלְלָה־גָפֶן נֶאֶנְחוּ כָּל־שִׂמְחֵי־לֵב׃
8 שָׁבַת מְשׂוֹשׂ תֻּפִּים חָדַל שְׁאוֹן עַלִּיזִים שָׁבַת מְשׂוֹשׂ כִּנּוֹר׃
9 בַּשִּׁיר לֹא יִשְׁתּוּ־יָיִן יֵמַר שֵׁכָר לְשֹׁתָיו׃
10 נִשְׁבְּרָה קִרְיַת־תֹּהוּ סֻגַּר כָּל־בַּיִת מִבּוֹא׃
11 צְוָחָה עַל־הַיַּיִן בַּחוּצוֹת עָרְבָה כָּל־שִׂמְחָה גָּלָה מְשׂוֹשׂ הָאָרֶץ׃
12 נִשְׁאַר בָּעִיר שַׁמָּה וּשְׁאִיָּה יֻכַּת־שָׁעַר׃
13 כִּי כֹה יִהְיֶה בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ בְּתוֹךְ הָעַמִּים כְּנֹקֶף זַיִת כְּעוֹלֵלֹת אִם־כָּלָה בָצִיר׃
14 הֵמָּה יִשְׂאוּ קוֹלָם יָרֹנּוּ בִּגְאוֹן יְהוָה צָהֲלוּ מִיָּם׃
15 עַל־כֵּן בָּאֻרִים כַּבְּדוּ יְהוָה בְּאִיֵּי הַיָּם שֵׁם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ ס
16 מִכְּנַף הָאָרֶץ זְמִרֹת שָׁמַעְנוּ צְבִי לַצַּדִּיק וָאֹמַר רָזִי־לִי רָזִי־לִי אוֹי לִי בֹּגְדִים בָּגָדוּ וּבֶגֶד בּוֹגְדִים בָּגָדוּ׃
17 פַּחַד וָפַחַת וָפָח עָלֶיךָ יוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ׃
18 וְהָיָה הַנָּס מִקּוֹל הַפַּחַד יִפֹּל אֶל־הַפַּחַת וְהָעוֹלֶה מִתּוֹךְ הַפַּחַת יִלָּכֵד בַּפָּח כִּי־אֲרֻבּוֹת מִמָּרוֹם נִפְתָּחוּ וַיִּרְעֲשׁוּ מוֹסְדֵי אָרֶץ׃

Odd Years: Isaiah 34:1-17

1 קִרְבוּ גוֹיִם לִשְׁמֹעַ וּלְאֻמִּים הַקְשִׁיבוּ תִּשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ וּמְלֹאָהּ תֵּבֵל וְכָל־צֶאֱצָאֶיהָ׃
2 כִּי קֶצֶף לַיהוָה עַל־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם וְחֵמָה עַל־כָּל־צְבָאָם הֶחֱרִימָם נְתָנָם לַטָּבַח׃
3 וְחַלְלֵיהֶם יֻשְׁלָכוּ וּפִגְרֵיהֶם יַעֲלֶה בָאְשָׁם וְנָמַסּוּ הָרִים מִדָּמָם׃
4 וְנָמַקּוּ כָּל־צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם וְנָגֹלּוּ כַסֵּפֶר הַשָּׁמָיִם וְכָל־צְבָאָם יִבּוֹל כִּנְבֹל עָלֶה מִגֶּפֶן וּכְנֹבֶלֶת מִתְּאֵנָה׃
5 כִּי־רִוְּתָה בַשָּׁמַיִם חַרְבִּי הִנֵּה עַל־אֱדוֹם תֵּרֵד וְעַל־עַם חֶרְמִי לְמִשְׁפָּט׃
6 חֶרֶב לַיהוָה מָלְאָה דָם הֻדַּשְׁנָה מֵחֵלֶב מִדַּם כָּרִים וְעַתּוּדִים מֵחֵלֶב כִּלְיוֹת אֵילִים כִּי זֶבַח לַיהוָה בְּבָצְרָה וְטֶבַח גָּדוֹל בְּאֶרֶץ אֱדוֹם׃
7 וְיָרְדוּ רְאֵמִים עִמָּם וּפָרִים עִם־אַבִּירִים וְרִוְּתָה אַרְצָם מִדָּם וַעֲפָרָם מֵחֵלֶב יְדֻשָּׁן׃
8 כִּי יוֹם נָקָם לַיהוָה שְׁנַת שִׁלּוּמִים לְרִיב צִיּוֹן׃
9 וְנֶהֶפְכוּ נְחָלֶיהָ לְזֶפֶת וַעֲפָרָהּ לְגָפְרִית וְהָיְתָה אַרְצָהּ לְזֶפֶת בֹּעֵרָה׃
10 לַיְלָה וְיוֹמָם לֹא תִכְבֶּה לְעוֹלָם יַעֲלֶה עֲשָׁנָהּ מִדּוֹר לָדוֹר תֶּחֱרָב לְנֵצַח נְצָחִים אֵין עֹבֵר בָּהּ׃
11 וִירֵשׁוּהָ קָאַת וְקִפּוֹד וְיַנְשׁוֹף וְעֹרֵב יִשְׁכְּנוּ־בָהּ וְנָטָה עָלֶיהָ קַו־תֹהוּ וְאַבְנֵי־בֹהוּ׃
12 חֹרֶיהָ וְאֵין־שָׁם מְלוּכָה יִקְרָאוּ וְכָל־שָׂרֶיהָ יִהְיוּ אָפֶס׃
13 וְעָלְתָה אַרְמְנֹתֶיהָ סִירִים קִמּוֹשׂ וָחוֹחַ בְּמִבְצָרֶיהָ וְהָיְתָה נְוֵה תַנִּים חָצִיר לִבְנוֹת יַעֲנָה׃
14 וּפָגְשׁוּ צִיִּים אֶת־אִיִּים וְשָׂעִיר עַל־רֵעֵהוּ יִקְרָא אַךְ־שָׁם הִרְגִּיעָה לִּילִית וּמָצְאָה לָהּ מָנוֹחַ׃
15 שָׁמָּה קִנְּנָה קִפּוֹז וַתְּמַלֵּט וּבָקְעָה וְדָגְרָה בְצִלָּהּ אַךְ־שָׁם נִקְבְּצוּ דַיּוֹת אִשָּׁה רְעוּתָהּ׃
16 דִּרְשׁוּ מֵעַל־סֵפֶר יְהוָה וּקְרָאוּ אַחַת מֵהֵנָּה לֹא נֶעְדָּרָה אִשָּׁה רְעוּתָהּ לֹא פָקָדוּ כִּי־פִי הוּא צִוָּה וְרוּחוֹ הוּא קִבְּצָן׃
17 וְהוּא־הִפִּיל לָהֶן גּוֹרָל וְיָדוֹ חִלְּקַתָּה לָהֶם בַּקָּו עַד־עוֹלָם יִירָשׁוּהָ לְדוֹר וָדוֹר יִשְׁכְּנוּ־בָהּ׃ ס


Even Years: St. John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel, ch. 22

La principal causa pro qué en la ley de Escritura eran lícitas las preguntas que se hacían a Dios, e convenía que los profetas y sacerdotes quisiesen visiones y revelaciones de Dios, era porque entonces no estaba bien fundamentada la fe ni establecida la ley evangélica, y así era menester que preguntasen a Dios revelationes, ahora en figuras y semejanzas, ahora en otras muchas maneras de significaciones. Porque todo lo que respondía, ye hablaba, y revelaba, eran misterios de nuestra fe y cosas tocantes a ella o enderezadas a ella...
Pero ya que está fundada la fe en Cristo y manifiesta la ley evangélica en esta era de gracia, no hay para qué preguntarle de aquella manera, ni para qué él hable ya ni responda como entonces. Porque en darnos, como nos dió a su Hijo, que es una palabra suya, que no tiene otra, todo nos lo habló junto y de una vez en esta sola palabra, y no tiene más que hablar.
Y éste es el sentido de aquella autoridad con que comienza San Pablo a querer inducir a los hebreos a que se aparten de aquellos modos primeros y tratos con Dios de la ley de Moisés y pongan los ojos en Cristo solamente, diciendo: Multifariam multisque modis olim Deus loquens patribus in prophetis: novissime autem diebus istis locutus est nobis in filio... En lo cual da a entender el Apóstol que Dios ha quedado como mudo y no tiene más que hablar, porque lo que hablaba antes en partes a los profetas, ya lo ha hablado en él todo, dándonos al Todo, que es su Hijo.
Por lo cual, el que ahora quisiese preguntar a Dios, o querer alguna visión o revelación, no sólo haría una necedad, sino haría agravio a Dios no poniendo los ojos totalmente en Cristo, sin querer otra alguna cosa o novedad.
Porque le podría responder Dios de esta manera, diciendo: Si te tengo ya habladas todas las cosas en mi palabra, que es mi Hijo, ya no tengo otra, qué te pudo yo ahora responder or revelar que sea más de lo que pides y deseas...
Desde aquel día que bajé con mi espíritu sobre él en el monte Tabor, diciendo: Hic est filius meus dilectus, in quo mihi bene complacui, ipsum audite... Oídle a él, porque yo no tengo más fe que revelar, ni más cosas que manifestar. Que si antes hablaba, era prometiendo a Cristo; y si me preguntaban, eran las preguntas encaminadas a la petición y esperanza de Cristo, en que habían de hallar todo bien (como ahora lo da a entender toda la doctrina de los evangelistas y apóstoles).

Odd Years: Hilary of Poitiers, On the Trinity (Book 11, 36-40: PL 10, 423-425)
«Omnia subiecta sunt, absque eo qui subiecit ei omnia, tunc ipse subiectus erit illi qui ei subiecit omnia, ut sit Deus omnia in omnibus. Primus igitur sacramenti gradus est, subiecta esse ei omnia.» Et tunc ipsum subiectum fieri subicienti sibi omnia: ut quemadmodum nos gloriae regnantis corporis sui subdimur, eodem rursum sacramento ipse regnans in gloria corporis subicienti sibi uniuersa subdatur. Subdimur autem gloriae corporis sui, ut in ea simus claritate qua regnat in corpore: quia corporis eius conformes erimus. When all things are made subject to him, save the one who made them subject, then the Son himself will be subject to the one who made all else subject to him, so that God may be all in all. The first stage of the mystery is that all is made subject to the Son; the second is that the Son himself then becomes subject to him who reigns in his glorious body, by the same dispensation he himself, now reigning in bodily glory, will be subject to the one who subjected all else to him. We are subject to his glorious body, in order that we may share in the glory by which he now reigns in the body; for our bodies shall become like his.
Et quidem gloriam regnantis nunc corporis sui euangelia non tacent. Ita enim scribitur, Domino dicente: "Amen dico uobis, quoniam sunt aliqui de adstantibus istis, qui non gustabunt mortem, donec uideant filium hominis uenientem in regno suo." Et factum est post dies sex, adsumpsit Iesus Petrum et Iacobum et Iohannem fratrem eius, et ducit illos in montem excelsum seorsum. Et transfiguratus est Iesus ante eos, et resplenduit facies eius ut sol, uestimenta autem eius facta sunt sicut nix. Gloria itaque uenientis in regnum corporis apostolis demonstrata est. Nam in habitu Dominus gloriosae transformationis suae constitit, regnantis corporis sui claritate patefacta. Et huius quidem gloriae suae consortium apostolis pollicens ait: "Sic erit in consummatione saeculi. Mittet filius hominis angelos suos, et colligent de regno eius omnia scandala et qui faciunt iniquitatem, et mittet eos in caminum ignis: ibi erit fletus et stridor dentium. Tunc iusti fulgebunt sicut sol in regno Patris eorum. Qui habet aures audiat." The Gospels are not silent about the bodily glory of the reigning Lord. It is written that he said: Amen I tell you, some those standing here will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. After six days, Jesus took Peter, James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain alone. Jesus was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, while his clothes were like snow. The bodily glory of him who comes was made known to the Apostles when the Lord stood before them gloriously transfigured and showed the brilliance his body would have when he came to rule. He promised the Apostles that they would share in his glory: So it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels to collect from his kingdom all who give scandal and all evildoers, and he will cast them into the fiery furnace, where there will he weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the just will shine like the sun in their Father's kingdom. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Numquid non omnibus naturales corporales que aures ad dictorum audientiam patent, ut ad audiendum dominica admonitione fuerit necessarium? Sed sacramenti scientiam Dominus insinuans, auditionem doctrinae fidelis exegit. In consummatione itaque saeculi de regno eius scandala auferuntur. Habemus ergo regnantem Dominum secundum corporis claritatem, quousque scandala auferantur. Habemus rursum conformes nos gloriae corporis sui in regno Patris tamquam in solis claritate fulgentes, in qua habitum regni sui apostolis in monte transformatus ostendit. But do not all of us have our natural bodily ears alert to hear what is said, and is not the Lord's warning about hearing therefore unnecessary? The Lord is referring, however, to a knowledge of the mystery of his divine plan when he insists on our hearing his teaching. At the end of the world, then, all who give scandal shall be removed from his kingdom. The Lord will reign in bodily glory and remove every cause of scandal. And we shall resemble him in bodily glory in the Father's kingdom, where we shall be radiant as the sun, for when Christ was transfigured on the mountain he showed the Apostles that such splendour is the raiment proper to his kingdom.
Tradet ergo regnum Deo Patri, non ita tamquam tradens potestate concedat, sed quod nos conformes gloriae corporis sui facti regnum Dei erimus. Non enim ait: "Tradet suum regnum," sed: "Tradet regnum," effectos nos per glorificationem corporis sui regnum Deo traditurus. Nos itaque tradet in regnum secundum hoc in euangeliis dictum: "Venite, benedicti Patris mei, possidete praeparatum uobis regnum a constitutione mundi." Fulgebunt ergo iusti ut sol in regno Patris eorum. Tradet enim Filius Deo regnum eos quos uocauit in regnum, quibus et beatitudinem sacramenti huius spopondit dicens: "Beati mundi corde, quoniam ipsi Deum uidebunt." He will hand over the kingdom to God the Father: not in the sense that he will be handing over his power, but in the sense that he will make us like himself in bodily glory and hand us over to God as his kingdom. He will hand us over to reign with him, according to his words in the Gospels: Come, you blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of world. The just, then, shall shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father, for the Son shall hand over to God, as his kingdom, those he called into the kingdom and to whom he promised the blessedness proper to this mystery when he said: Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.
Regnans itaque auertit scandala, et tunc iusti in regno Patris tamquam sol fulgebunt. Tradit autem Deo Patri regnum, et tunc quos regnum Deo tradiderit Deum uidebunt. Et quod regnum, ipse testatus est dicens ad apostolos: "In uobis est enim regnum Dei." Regnans itaque regnum tradet. Et si quis quaerat, quis iste est tradens regnum, audiet: Christus resurrexit a mortuis primitiae dormientium: quoniam per hominem mors, et per hominem resurrectio mortuorum. Omnis enim hic nunc praesentis quaestionis sermo de sacramento corporis est, quia Christus primitiae ex mortuis est. Quo autem Christus mysterio ex mortuis resurrexerit, apostolo dicente noscamus: "Memento Christum Iesum a mortuis resurrexisse de semine Dauid:" mortem itaque et resurrectionem ex ea tantum docens dispensatione esse, qua caro est. Regnat autem in hoc eodem glorioso iam suo corpore, donec euacuatis magistratibus et morte deuicta, subiciat sibi inimicos. As he reigns, he does away with scandals, and then the just in the kingdom of God will shine. Then, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, those whom he handed over as a kingdom to God will see God. Which kingdom it is, he himself declared when he told his apostles: "The kingdom of God is within you." As he reigns, then, he hands over the kingom. If anyone asks, who is handing over the kingom, let him listen: Christ rose from the dead, the first fruits of those asleep, for through one man came death, and through another resurrection of the dead. This whole questions is aboutthe sacrament of the body, because Christ is the firstfruits of the dead. About this mystery of Christ's rising from the dead, the Apostle dells us: "Remember that Christ Jesus, a descendant of David, rose from the dead." He is teaching that death and resurrection presupposes that there is flesh. Christ reigns in his same glorious body, until he has done away with political powers, conquered death, and subjected his enemies to himself.

Prayer