Daily Bible Readings Friday December 12 2008 Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

December 12 Friday Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Saint of the Day – Our Lady of Guadalupe

About the sources used. The readings on this site are not official for the Mass of Roman Rite of the Catholic Church in the USA, 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 for your own personal study. Readings vary depending on your local calendar.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/121208.shtml

Zechariah 2:14-17 (DRB 2:10-13)
Douay-Rheims Challoner
The verse numbers do not match the NAB. This happens later in Judith as well.
I will try my best to get the proper readings.

Sing praise, and rejoice, O daughter of Sion: for behold I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee: saith the Lord. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall be my people, and I will dwell in the midst of thee: and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me to thee. And the Lord shall possess Juda his portion in the sanctified land: and he shall yet choose Jerusalem. Let all flesh be silent at the presence of the Lord: for he is risen up out of his holy habitation.

Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
Haydock New Testament

And the temple of God was opened in heaven: and the ark of his testament was seen in his temple. And there appeared a great wonder in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars: And being with child, she cried travailing in birth, and was in pain to be delivered.

And there appeared another wonder in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his head seven diadems, And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth; and the dragon stood before the woman, who was ready to be delivered, that, when she should be delivered, he might devour her son.

And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with an iron rod: and her son was taken up to God, and to his throne: And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared by God, that there they should feed her a thousand two hundred and sixty days.

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying:

Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ

Responsorial Psalm Judith 13:18bcde, 19 (DRB 13:23b-13:25b)
Douay-Rheims Challoner Text Only

Blessed art thou, O daughter, by the Lord the most high God,
above all women upon the earth.
Blessed be the Lord who made heaven and earth.
Because he hath so magnified thy name this day,
that thy praise shall not depart out of the mouth of men
who shall be mindful of the power of the Lord for ever

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Luke 1:26-47
Haydock New Testament

And in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary. And the Angel being come in, said to her:

Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Blessed art thou among women.

But she having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. And the Angel said to her:

Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God: Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call his name, Jesus. 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, And of his kingdom there shall be no end.

And Mary said to the Angel:

How shall this be done, because I know not man?

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. 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: Because no word shall be impossible with God.

And Mary said:

Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word. And the Angel departed from her.

And Mary rising up in those days, went into the mountainous country with haste, into a city of Juda: And she entered into the house of Zachary (Zachariah), and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb: and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she cried out with a loud voice, and said:

Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.

And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.

And Mary said:

My soul doth magnify the Lord: And my spirit hath rejoiced in God, my Saviour.

Haydock Commentary (Zacharias) Zechariah 2:14-17 (2:10-13)
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

• Ver. 11. Nations. We know of none who embrace the Jewish law. But both the old and the new world submits to Christ. — Dwell. S. Michael represents the Messias. The latter preached and wrought miracles among the Jews, which rendered them inexcusable. John xv. 24. C.
• Ver. 13. Silent: obey with reverence. H. See Hab. ii. 20. and 1 Mac. i. 3. C. — Habitation, becoming man. M.

Haydock Commentary Revelation 11:19; 12:1-6, 10

• Ver. 19. The temple of God was opened…. the ark of his testament was seen; which P. Alleman applies to the cross that appeared in the air to Constantine. Such applications may be probable, but cannot be called certain. Wi.
• Ver. 1. A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet. By this woman, interpreters commonly understand the Church of Christ, shining with the light of faith, under the protection of the sun of justice, Jesus Christ. The moon, the Church, hath all changeable things of this world under her feet, the affections of the faithful being raised above them all.—A woman: the Church of God. It may also, by allusion, be applied to our Blessed Lady. The Church is clothed with the sun, that is, with Christ: she hath the moon, that is, the changeable things of the world, under her feet; and the twelve stars with which she is crowned, are the twelve apostles: she is in labour and pain, whilst she brings forth her children, and Christ in them, in the midst of afflictions and persecutions. Ch.—Under the figure of a woman and of a dragon, are represented the various attempts of Satan to undermine the Church.—On her head …. Twelve stars, her doctrine being delivered by the twelve apostles and their successors. Wi.
• Ver. 2. With child, &c. to signify that the Church, even in the time of persecutions, brought forth children to Christ. Wi.—It likewise signifies the difficulties which obstructed the first propagation of Christianity. Past.
• Ver. 3. Another wonder in heave; that is, in the Church of Christ, though revealed to S. John, in the visions, as if they were seen in heaven.—A great red dragon; a fiery dragon, with seven heads and ten horns; i.e. many heads and many horns. By the dragon is generally understood the devil, (see v. 7 and 0) and by the heads and horns, kings and princes, who act under him, persecuting the servants of God. Wi.—Dragon, &c. the devil; and by the seven heads and ten horns, are meant those princes and governors who persecute the Church of Christ. Calmet.
• Ver. 4. His tail drew the third part of the stars: a great part of mankind. This is spoken with an allusion to the fall of Lucifer from heaven, with the rebellious angels, driven from thence by S. Michael. Wi.—According to Pastorini, this passage refers to the angels whom Lucifer drew after him by sin to the earth. Menochius interprets it of those bishops and eminent persons who fell under the weight of persecution, and apostatized.—And the dragon stood before the woman, &c. The devil is always ready, as far as God permits him, to make war against the Church and the faithful servants of God. The woman, the Church, brought forth a man child, or rather many men children, stout and valiant in the profession of the true faith, able to resist and triumph over the attempts of the persecutors in all nations, not of themselves, but by the grace and power of Jesus Christ, their protector, who is able to rule all nations as it were with a rod of iron, to frustrate all their attempts, and turn their hearts as he pleaseth. Wi.
• Ver. 5. A man child; that is, a masculine race of Christians, willing to confess the name of the Lord, and to fight his battles, who, through the merits of Jesus Christ, should triumph over all the attempts of the world. Calmet.—Her son (or children) was taken up to heaven, guarded by the special favour of God. They always overcome the devil, and all their adversaries, by reason of the blood of the Lamb, by the merits of Christ. And they loved not the life of the body, so as to preserve it, by incurring the death of the soul. Wi.
• Ver. 6. The woman fled into the wilderness. The Church, in the times of persecutions, must be content to serve God in a private manner; but by divine Providence, such persecutions never lasted with violence only for a short time, signified by 1260 days, or as the same is expressed here, (v. 14) for a time, and times, and half a time, i.e. for a year, and two years, and half a year. Wi.—The Christians were accustomed to fly during the times of persecution into the deserts, to avoid the fury of the pagans. This was done by the greatest saints; and S. Jerome remarks that it was this which gave rise to the eremitical state of life.
• Ver. 10-12. Now is come salvation…. Rejoice, O ye heavens. The blessed in heaven rejoice for the victories of the faithful on earth, and also for the reward and glory which would shortly be given them in heaven. (ending there. Abbreviated because the rest does not apply to today’s reading)

Haydock Commentary Judith 13:18-19

• Ver. 19. Drunkenness. “The fasting of one woman overthrew an innumerable host of drunkards.” S. Ambrose de jej. ix. W.

Haydock Commentary Luke 1:26-47

• 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.
• Ver. 39. This city is generally supposed to be Hebron, a sacerdotal town, (Jos. xxi. 11.) situated in the mountains, to the south of Juda, and about 120 miles from Nazareth. V.
• Ver. 41. The infant leaped in her womb. According to the general opinion of the interpreters, this motion of the child at this time was not natural: and some think that God gave to S. John, even in his mother’s womb, a passing knowledge of the presence of his Redeemer. See S. Aug. in the above cited letter to Dardanus. Wi.
• Ver. 42. In the same words she is pronounced blessed by Elizabeth, and by the angel Gabriel, both inspired by the Holy Ghost, and this not only to the praise of Jesus, but for his sake, to the praise of Mary, calling her blessed, and her fruit blessed; and thus, as Ven. Bede asserts, holding her up to the veneration of both men and angels.
• Ver. 43. The mother of my Lord. A proof that Christ was truly God, and the blessed Virgin Mary truly the mother of God. Wi.—Elizabeth was a just and blessed woman; yet the excellency of the mother of God does so far surpass that of Elizabeth, and of every other woman, as the great luminary outshines the smaller stars. S. Jerome præf. in Sophon.
• Ver. 47. In God my Saviour, as appears by the Greek text, though literally in Latin, in God my salvation.Wi.