Sunday Mass Readings and Questionsfor Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion

Fourth Sunday of Advent – December 20, 2020The First Reading - 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14A, 16When 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.'” Reflection The First Reading is the basic account of God’s grant to David of a covenant of kingship. This Davidic covenant is the last and climactic divine covenant recorded in the Old Testament. Prior to David, covenants had been made with Adam, Noah, Abraham, and all Israel (through Moses). The Davidic covenant is, in a sense, a fulfillment of all of these: David is a successor of the Patriarchs Adam, Noah, and Abraham; and a sacred embodiment and representative (as king) of all Israel. It is hard to overemphasize the importance of God’s covenant with David to the theology of the Old Testament: it’s influence is pervasive in the historical books, the psalms, and the prophets. Essentially, outside the Pentateuch, the Old Testament is largely “the David channel.” Raymond Brown has a famous quote on the significance of the Davidic covenant and kingdom in Christian theology: The story of David brings out all the strengths and weaknesses of the beginnings of the religious institution of the kingdom for the people of God. . . . The kingdom established by David . . . is the closest Old Testament parallel to the New Testament church. . . . To help Christians make up their mind on how the Bible speaks [to church issues] it would help if they knew about David and his kingdom, which was also God’s kingdom and whose kings, with all their imperfections, God promised to treat as “sons” (2 Sm. 6:14).Adults - Are you familiar with the covenants of Salvation History? This is a great time of year to start studying the Bible more intently. Teens - What are some similarities between the Kingdom of David and the Church?Kids - What does it mean to be a part of God’s kingdom?Responsorial- Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5 , 27, 29R.For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.The promises of the LORD I will sing forever;through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,I have sworn to David my servant:Forever will I confirm your posterityand establish your throne for all generations.”R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,

my God, the Rock, my savior.’Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,and my covenant with him stands firm.”R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Sunday Mass Readings and Questionsfor Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion

Fourth Sunday of Advent – December 20, 2020Reflection The Responsorial Psalm is one of the most pivotal psalms in the entire psalter, the last psalm of Book III, which praises God for his covenant faithfulness to David. Notice how both the Psalm and the First Reading emphasize the Father-Son relationship between David (and his heirs) and God. A covenant establishes kinship—a family relationship. Thereafter, the covenant partners may be called by familial terms: usually either Father-Son (for a non-reciprocal covenant) or Brother-Brother (for a parity covenant). The people of God are, in a very real way, family to each other. How does this change how you look at one another? The Second Reading- Romans 16:25-27Brothers 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. Reflection - The Second Reading drives home the point that Christ’s birth was not an unexpected novum in the history of the world, but rather was the culmination of a divine plan “manifested through the prophetic writings.” -What are some of your favorite prophecies of Jesus in the Old Testament? If you don’t have one, look up and read some of them.The Holy Gospel according to Luke 1:26-38The 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. Reflection The Gospel is the account of the Annunciation, and there is no end of what we could say about this beautiful passage, especially if we began to unpack its Mariological significance. Nonetheless, in the context of these Readings, we want to highlight the Davidic Covenant themes. Note that Mary is espoused to Joseph “of the house of David.” Almost all the substance of Gabriel’s message to Our Blessed Mother in vv. 32-33 (“He will be great … and of his kingdom there will be no end”) is “taken” directly from 2 Samuel 7. Gabriel is telling Mary that her child will fulfill all the promises made to David of old. There is even temple, or at least sanctuary, imagery in this Gospel reading, as Gabriel tells Our Mother that “the Power of the Most High will overshadow you,” using a rare Greek word episkiazo employed to describe the cloud of God’s presence which filled the Tabernacle in Ex. 40:35. Mary is becoming a kind of new Tabernacle of the Presence of God. We could say that the sanctuary-nature of Christ, who is both House of David and House of God, is being communicated to Mary by association. As such, Our Mother is a type and icon of the Church, which also shares the sanctuary-nature of her Lord. Of course, the docile submission of Our Mother to God’s word—a word that will involve a share in her Son’s suffering (Luke 2:35), but also a share in his glory (Rom 8:17)—is held up as an example for us all.Adults - Meditate on the many ways that Mary can be seen as an icon of the Church.Teens - How is Mary an example to us?

Sunday Mass Readings and Questionsfor Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion

Fourth Sunday of Advent – December 20, 2020Kids - How does Mary show us what true love for Jesus is?LIVING THE WORD OF GOD THIS WEEK! – Our Response to God this WeekCould infinite love have gone any further? Our creation, the fact that we exist as human beings on earth, is a great gift to us on the part of God. Of what value could eighty, a hundred, even seven hundred years of a continuously happy life on this earth be for us if we learned that we had to depart life forever one day? In a world tormented by sin and its evil effects our normal span of life would be less satisfying. However, when God created us, he so planned that our stay here would be but a stage, a stepping stone in fact, toward our everlasting home. We are well aware indeed of the lengths to which God's love has gone in order to make us his children and heirs to his kingdom. Are we, however, grateful to him for the love he has shown us? Are we honestly and sincerely trying to make ourselves worthy of the great future he has in store for us?Today is a suitable occasion to look right into our hearts, to see how we stand with God. During the week we shall be keeping the feast of Christmas. The Baby in the manger will remind us of what God has done and is still doing for us. What are we doing in return? Have we shown our gratitude by living as true followers of Christ? If most of us must answer: "no," this is the time to change our course and return to the right road once more. God is asking this of us today. Shall our answer be: "behold here I am Lord, your humble and grateful servant, let it be done to me according to your word"? -Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.