Please look here. Many people are coming via search engine. Google is sending people to last year’s readings. Please check the date. If you are on the wrong year please CLICK HERE and then check the calendar to the left. Sunday readings are usually posted on the previous Wednesday and then again on the proper Sunday. Thank you, and I apologize for the inconvenience.
December 8 2007 Saturday 1st Week of Advent
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
About the sources used. The readings on this site are not official for the Mass of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, but are from sources free from copyright. They are here to present the comparable readings alongside traditional Catholic commentary as published in the Haydock Bible.
Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/120807.shtml – Note. The Official Liturgical readings may not match the current NAB you may have.
Genesis 3:9-15, 20
Douay-Rheims Challoner
9 And the Lord God called Adam, and said to him: Where art thou?
10 And he said: I heard thy voice in paradise; and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.
11 And he said to him: And who hath told thee that thou wast naked, but that thou hast eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat?
12 And Adam said: The woman, whom thou gavest me to be my companion, gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
13 And the Lord God said to the woman: Why hast thou done this? And she answered: The serpent deceived me, and I did eat.
14 And the Lord God said to the serpent: Because thou hast done this thing, thou art cursed among all cattle, and beasts of the earth: upon thy breast shalt thou go, and earth shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.
15 I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.
20 And Adam called the name of his wife Eve: because she was the mother of all the living.
Psalm
Text only. Commentary Here
1 A psalm for David himself. Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: because he hath done wonderful things. His right hand hath wrought for him salvation, and his arm is holy.
2 The Lord hath made known his salvation: he hath revealed his justice in the sight of the Gentiles.
3 He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4 Sing joyfully to God, all the earth; make melody, rejoice and sing.
5 Sing praise to the Lord on the harp, on the harp, and with the voice of a psalm:
6 With long trumpets, and sound of cornet. Make a joyful noise before the Lord our king:
7 Let the sea be moved and the fullness thereof: the world and they that dwell therein.
8 The rivers shall clap their hands, the mountains shall rejoice together
9 At the presence of the Lord: because he cometh to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with justice, and the people with equity.
Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12
Haydock New Testament
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ: 4 As he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and unspotted in his sight, in charity. 5 Who hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children, through Jesus Christ, unto himself: according to the purpose of his will, 6 To the praise and glory of his grace, by which he made us acceptable, in his beloved Son.
11 In whom we also are called by lot, being predestinated according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things according to the counsel of his will: 12 That we may be to the praise of his glory, who have before hoped in Christ:
The Gospel According to Saint Luke 1:26-38
Haydock NT
26 And in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary. 28 And the Angel being come in, said to her:
Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Blessed art thou among women.
29 But she having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the Angel said to her:
Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God: 31 Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call his name, Jesus. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David, his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever, 33 And of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34 And Mary said to the Angel:
How shall this be done, because I know not man?
35 And the Angel answering, said to her:
The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God.
36 And behold thy cousin, Elizabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren: 37 Because no word shall be impossible with God.
38 And Mary said:
Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word.
And the Angel departed from her.
Haydock Commentary Genesis 3:9-15, 20
- Ver. 9. Where. In what state have thy sins placed thee, that thou shouldst flee from thy God? S. Ambrose C. 14. Some think it was the Son of God who appeared on this occasion, S. Augustine &c. or an Angel. C.
- Ver. 10. Afraid. The just man is the first to accuse himself: But Adam seeks for excuses in his sin: he throws the blame on his wife, and ultimately on God. M.—Thou gavest me. Heretics have since treated the Sovereign Good with the like insolence; saying plainly, that God is the author of sin, and that the crime of Judas is no less his work than the conversion of S. Paul. See Calvin’s works, and may of the first reformers, Luther, &c. cited. Ex. 8. 15. H.
- Ver. 13. The serpent, which thou hast made so cunning, and placed with us, deceived me. God deigns not to answer their frivolous excuses. M.
- Ver. 14. Cursed. This curse falls upon the natural serpent, as the instrument of the devil; who is also cursed at the same time by the Holy Ghost. What was natural to the serpent and to man in a state of innocence, (as to creep, &c. to submit to the dominion of the husband, &c.) becomes a punishment after the fall. S. Chrys.—There was no enmity, before, between man and any of God’s creatures; nor were they noxious to him. T.—The devil seems now to crawl, because he no longer aspires after God and heavenly things, but aims at wickedness and mean deceit. M.
- Ver. 15. She shall crush. Ipsa, the woman: so divers of the fathers read this place, conformably to the Latin: others read it ipsum, viz. the seed. The sense is the same: for it is by her seed, Jesus Christ, that the woman crushes the serpent’s head. Ch.—The Hebrew text, as Bellarmine observes, is ambiguous: He mentions one copy which had ipsa instead of ipsum; and so it is even printed in the Hebrew interlineary edition, 1572, by Plantin, under the inspection of Boderianus. Whether the Jewish editions ought to have more weight with Christians, or whether all the other MSS. Conspire against this reading, let others inquire. The fathers who have cited the old Italic version, taken from the Sept. agree with the Vulgate, which is followed by almost all the Latins; and hence we may argue with probability, that the Sept. and the Hebrew formerly acknowledge ipsa, which now moves the indignation of Protestants so much, as if we intended by it to give any divine honour to the blessed Virgin. We believe, however, with S. Epiphanius, that “it is no less criminal to vilify the holy Virgin, than to glorify her above measure.” We know that all the power of the mother of God is derived from the merits of her Son. We are no otherwise concerned about the retaining of ipsa, she, in this place, than in as much as we have yet no certain reason to suspect its being genuine. As some words have been corrected in the Vulgate since the Council of Trent, by Sixtus V. and others, by Clem. VIII. so, if, upon stricter search, it be found that it, and not she, is the true reading, we shall not hesitate to admit the correction: but we must wait in the mean time respectfully, till our superiors determine. H. Kemnitzius certainly advanced a step too far, when he said that all the ancient fathers read ipsum. Victor, Avitus, S. Aug. S. Greg. &c. mentioned in the Douay Bible, will convict him of falsehood. Christ crushed the serpent’s head by his death, suffering himself to be wounded in the heel. His blessed mother crushed him likewise, by her co-operation to the mystery of the Incarnation; and by rejecting, with horror, the very first suggestions of the enemy, to commit even the smallest sin. S. Bernard. Sermon 2. on Misses est. “We crush,” says S. Greg. Mor. l. 38. “the serpent’s head, when we extirpate from our heart the beginnings of temptation, and then he lays snares for our heel, because he opposes the end of a good action with greater creaft and power.” The serpent may hiss and threaten; he cannot hurt, if we resist him. H.
- Ver. 20. The living. Heb. chai, one who brings forth alive, (Symmachus) or one who imparts life, in which she was a figure of the blessed Virgin. C.—Adam gives his wife this new name, in gratitude for not being cut off by death on the very day of his transgression, as he had every reason to expect and fear he would have been. C. ii. 17. H.—The printed Hebrew reads here, and in many other places, Eva, he, instead of Eja, she; thus, He was the mother, v. 12. he gave, &c. an inaccuracy unknown to the Samaritans and the best MS. Copies. Kennicott.
Haydock Commentary Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12
- Ver. 3. Blessed be the God, who, through his Son Jesus Christ, made man, hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings and gifts; and by his grace, infused into our souls, has given us a title to a happy eternity in heaven. Wi.—In heavenly things; (in cœlestibus) i.e. all spiritual blessings for heaven, or for eternity. This is the object of all the blessings we receive from God; and we ought, according to the first intention of them, to refer them all to eternal or heavenly beatitude. S. Paul distinguishes the blessings which we receive in Jesus Christ. From those bestowed upon the Jews, which were temporal and limited to this earth. Calmet. Ch.
- Ver. 4-8. As by his eternal decree, according to the purpose of his good will and pleasure, he hath made choice of us to be his adoptive sons, and predestinated us to be saved and glorified by the merits and grace of his beloved Son, our Redeemer, without any merits of ours to the glorious praise and riches of his grace, by which he hath made us abound in all wisdom and true prudence. Wi.
- Ver. 11. In Christ we also are called by lot; i.e. to this happy lot, this share and state of eternal happiness, (he seems to speak with an allusion to the manner by which the lands of a temporal inheritance was distributed to the Israelites, in Palestine) that we (v. 12) who are saved, may be to the praise of his glory; might praise God for ever in the kingdom of his glory; particularly we Jews, who before hoped in the Messiah to come, and also you Gentiles, who now having heard the gospel, have believed in Christ, and who, together with all Christians, have been now sealed as it were with the holy Spirit of promise; i.e. by the Spirit promised, and all those spiritual graces which are an earnest and pledge, which give us an assurance of our future glory and happiness. For our redemption from our sins, and in order to the acquired possession, to the possession of that glorious happiness which Christ, by his incarnation and death, hath acquired for us. Wi.
Haydock Commentary Luke 1:26-38
- Ver. 27. The word Miriam, or Mary, is expounded by S. Jerome from different etymologies, to signify in Hebrew, star of the sea, and in Chaldaic, lady. Both interpretations admirably well agree with her, who is the glorious Queen of heaven, our patroness and star, to direct us in the stormy ocean of this world.—“O you,” cries out S. Bernard, “who find yourselves tossed to and fro in the tempestuous life, turn not your eyes away from the brightness of this star, if you would not be overwhelmed in these storms. If the winds of temptations arise; If you fall among the rocks of tribulation; look up to the star, call upon Mary. If you are agitate, and hard driven with the surges of pride, ambition, detraction, jealousy, or envy; look up to the star, call upon Mary. If anger, covetousness, or lust, beat furiously on the vessel of your soul; look up to the star, call upon Mary. If you are beginning to founder, and are just sinking into the gulph of melancholy and despair; think on Mary. In dangers, in distresses, in your mouth; from your mouth let it constantly descend into your heart; and, that you may obtain the suffrage of her prayers, both in life and death, never depart from the example of her pious conversations.” S. Bernard of Clairvaux, hom. ii. super Missus est.
- Ver. 28. Hail, full of grace: by the greatest share of divine graces granted to any creature. This translation, approved by the ancient Fathers, agrees with the ancient Syriac and Arabic versions. There was no need therefore to change it into gracious, with Erasmus; into freely beloved, with Beza; into highly favoured, with the Prot translators. For is the seven deacons (Acts 6:3) are said to be full of the Holy Ghost, as it is again said of S. Stephen, (Acts 7:55) and also of the same S. Stephen, (Acts 6:8) that he was full of grace, (as the learned Dr. Wells translates it in his amendments made to the Prot. translations) why should any one be offended at this salutation given to the blessed mother of God; who would not have been raised to this highest dignity, had not her soul bee first prepared for it by the greatest share of divine graces?—The Lord is with thee, by his interior graces; and now, at this moment, is about to offer upon thee the highest of all dignities, by making thee truly the mother of God. Wi.—The Catholic Church makes frequent use of these words which were brought by the archangel from heaven, as well to honour Jesus Christ, and his virgin Mother, as because they were the first glad tidings of Christ’s incarnation, and man’s salvation; and are the very abridgment and sum of the whole gospel. In the Greek Church, these are used daily in the Mass. See the Liturgy of S. James, and that of S. Chrys.
- Ver. 29. When she had heard. In the Greek text, when she had seen; as if she also saw the angel, as S. Ambrose observed. Wi.
- Ver. 31. It may perhaps in the first instance of reflection, appear shocking to our ideas, that a God should dwell in a human body; but does not the sun emit its rays into all kinds of places, without any detriment to its purity; How much more would the Sun of justice, assuming a most pure body, formed of the purest blood of the spotless Virgin, not only remain free from every the least stain himself, but even impart additional sanctity to his virgin Mother. S. Thos. Aquinas.
- Ver. 32. He… shall be called; i.e. according to the style of the Scriptures, he shall truly be the Son of God. Wi.
- Ver. 33. Those are here called of the house of Jacob, who out of the multitude of the Jews believed in Christ. This is conformable to that text of S. Paul: All are not Israelites that are of Israel, but the children of the promise are accounted for the seed. Rom 9:6, 8. S. Chrysostom homily vii on S. Matt.—And of his kingdom there shall be no end: which clearly shews it was not to be a temporal, but a spiritual and an eternal kingdom. Wi.
- Ver. 34. How shall this be done? She only asks about the manner.—Because I know not man. This answer, as S. Aug. takes notice, would have been to no purpose, had she not made a vow to God to live always a virgin. Wi.00Listen to the words of this pure Virgin. The angel tells her she shall conceive; but she insists upon her virginity, holding her purity in higher estimation than the promised dignity. S. Greg. of Nyssa-She did not doubt the truth of what the angel said, (as Calvin impiously maintained) but she wished it might not happen to the prejudice of her vowed virginity. Ambrose, Austin, Bede, Theophylactus, &c. &c.
- Ver. 35. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, &c. By the divine power thou shalt bring forth, and yet remain always a pure virgin.—And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee, shall be called (shall be) the Son of God. The second person of the ever blessed Trinity, being united to our human nature, remaining unchangeably the same God, and being born of the Virgin Mary; it must needs be true to say that God was born, that God suffered and died for us; and consequently that the blessed Virgin Mary was truly the mother of God, or of him that is truly God; though not the mother of the Godhead: as the Catholic Church declared in the council of Ephesus, (431) against the heretic Nestorius. Wi.—Seek not for natural order in things that transcend nature. You ask, how shall this be done, since you know not man? This, your ignorance of man, is the very reason why this will take place within you. For had you not bee pure, you never would have been deemed worthy of so great a mystery. Not because marriage is bad, but because virginity is far more excellent. The common Lord of all ought in his birth to have something common with all mankind, and still something different. He was conceived and born in the womb like the rest of mankind, but he differed from them in being born of a virgin. S. Chry. xlix. in Genes.
- Ver. 36. We find that Aaron, who was of the tribe of Levi, took a wife of the tribe of Juda, viz. Elizabeth, the sister of Naasson. In the successors of David we find that Joiada, the chief priest, took a wife of the family of David, viz. the daughter of Joram; from which it appears that both the royal and sacerdotal tribes were united, and that Mary and Elizabeth were relatives. It was certainly proper that Christ should be born of both these tribes, because he was in himself both king and priest. Ven. Bede.
- Ver. 38. Behold the handmaid. With all modesty and humility of heart and mind, the blessed Virgin consented to the divine will: and from that moment in her was conceived the Saviour and Redeemer of the world. Wi.—Thus ought the virgin, who brought forth meekness and humility itself, to shew forth an example of the most profound humility. S. Amb.
Daily Bible Readings With Traditional Catholic Commentary December 8 2007 Saturday 1st Week of Advent
Posted by Bob on December 8, 2007
Please look here. Many people are coming via search engine. Google is sending people to last year’s readings. Please check the date. If you are on the wrong year please CLICK HERE and then check the calendar to the left. Sunday readings are usually posted on the previous Wednesday and then again on the proper Sunday. Thank you, and I apologize for the inconvenience.
December 8 2007 Saturday 1st Week of Advent
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
About the sources used. The readings on this site are not official for the Mass of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, but are from sources free from copyright. They are here to present the comparable readings alongside traditional Catholic commentary as published in the Haydock Bible.
Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/120807.shtml – Note. The Official Liturgical readings may not match the current NAB you may have.
Genesis 3:9-15, 20
Douay-Rheims Challoner
9 And the Lord God called Adam, and said to him: Where art thou?
10 And he said: I heard thy voice in paradise; and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.
11 And he said to him: And who hath told thee that thou wast naked, but that thou hast eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat?
12 And Adam said: The woman, whom thou gavest me to be my companion, gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
13 And the Lord God said to the woman: Why hast thou done this? And she answered: The serpent deceived me, and I did eat.
14 And the Lord God said to the serpent: Because thou hast done this thing, thou art cursed among all cattle, and beasts of the earth: upon thy breast shalt thou go, and earth shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.
15 I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.
20 And Adam called the name of his wife Eve: because she was the mother of all the living.
Psalm
Text only. Commentary Here
1 A psalm for David himself. Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: because he hath done wonderful things. His right hand hath wrought for him salvation, and his arm is holy.
2 The Lord hath made known his salvation: he hath revealed his justice in the sight of the Gentiles.
3 He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4 Sing joyfully to God, all the earth; make melody, rejoice and sing.
5 Sing praise to the Lord on the harp, on the harp, and with the voice of a psalm:
6 With long trumpets, and sound of cornet. Make a joyful noise before the Lord our king:
7 Let the sea be moved and the fullness thereof: the world and they that dwell therein.
8 The rivers shall clap their hands, the mountains shall rejoice together
9 At the presence of the Lord: because he cometh to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with justice, and the people with equity.
Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12
Haydock New Testament
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ: 4 As he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and unspotted in his sight, in charity. 5 Who hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children, through Jesus Christ, unto himself: according to the purpose of his will, 6 To the praise and glory of his grace, by which he made us acceptable, in his beloved Son.
11 In whom we also are called by lot, being predestinated according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things according to the counsel of his will: 12 That we may be to the praise of his glory, who have before hoped in Christ:
The Gospel According to Saint Luke 1:26-38
Haydock NT
26 And in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary. 28 And the Angel being come in, said to her:
Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Blessed art thou among women.
29 But she having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the Angel said to her:
Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God: 31 Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call his name, Jesus. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David, his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever, 33 And of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34 And Mary said to the Angel:
How shall this be done, because I know not man?
35 And the Angel answering, said to her:
The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God.
36 And behold thy cousin, Elizabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren: 37 Because no word shall be impossible with God.
38 And Mary said:
Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word.
And the Angel departed from her.
Haydock Commentary Genesis 3:9-15, 20
Haydock Commentary Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12
Haydock Commentary Luke 1:26-38
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