The Good Word

The Lord is the eternal God Creator of the ends of the earth He does not faint nor grow weary and His knowledge is beyond our full grasp He gives strength to the fainting He makes the weak vigorous They who hope in the Lord will renew their strength they will soar as with eagles wings the

All the readings anticipate something present but not tangibly so–even something powerfully active though not sensed in the ordinary ways The Isaiah voice Mary in the canticle response Paul in the second reading and John the Baptist in the Gospel all address hearers their original partners and

Comfort give comfort and speak tenderly to My people says our God Go and cry out fearlessly at the top of your voice Here is your God Here comes with power the Lord God Who rules by His strong arm like a shepherd He feeds His flock in His arms He gathers the lambs carrying them in His bosom

The agony of Jesus is finished as is his exhortation to watch and pray Now Mark asks his reader to contemplate the second part of the garden incident Jesus arrest The ones doing the arresting are not soldiers of the Roman army they are the Jewish public custodians of order in the Temple a

In our third Advent video reflection Fr Jim Martin considers the virtues of of St Joseph

They will see Jesus the glory of the Lord the splendor of our God Strengthen the hands that are feeble make firm the knees that are weak say to those whose hearts are frightened Be strong fear not Here is your God He comes to save you sorrow and mourning will flee

Take off your robe of mourning and misery put on the splendor of glory from God forever For God is leading us in joy by the light of His glory Jesus with his mercy and justice for company Baruch 5

Mark chose just three moments from the lengthy liturgical meal we call the Last Supper These moments are a contrast as betrayer and denier are foretold and Jesus self-giving preserved in the Eucharist is announced and explained Now it is time for Gethsemane The garden of Gethsemane is at the

Thus says the Lord God the Holy One of Israel O people no more will you weep He will be gracious to you when you cry out as soon as He hears He will answer you The Lord will give you the bread you need and the water for which you thirst No longer will your Teacher hide Himself but with your

On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see The lowly will ever find joy in the Lord and the poor rejoice in the Holy One For the tyrant will be no more and the arrogant will have gone all who are alert to do evil will be cut